Double deep inferior epigastric arteries encountered during vertical rectus abdominis flap harvest: A case report and literature review

The rectus abdominis flap offers a number of advantages over other flaps used in head and neck reconstruction. The flap can be harvested by a separate team and can be tailored to include skin, muscle, and fat. In addition, the available vascular pedicle is long and its large caliber provides an appropriate size match with recipient neck vessels. Central to reconstructive success is defining an arterial and venous pedicle that provides balanced perfusion to all components of the flap. Anomalous vascular anatomy presents principal challenges in reestablishing free flap perfusion. We present a case of double, right deep inferior epigastric arteries encountered during vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction of the tongue and floor of the mouth and discuss the clinical outcomes of this reconstruction.