The angiosome--an in vivo study by fluorescein angiography.

Intra-arterial fluorescein has been used to study the area of abdominal skin perfused by the inferior epigastric artery. Three patterns of perfusion were demonstrated and, overall, there was little correlation with the distribution anticipated on the basis of previous cadaver injection studies. It is suggested that the "angiosome" concept proposed by Taylor and Palmer (1987) is of relevance to flap design rather than to the distribution of blood in vivo.