Figure 5

The anatomical illustration of the IMA/V, the DIEA/V and SEA/V in the actual patient: Line drawing to illustrate the anatomy of the IMA/V, the DIEA/V and SEA/V in the actual patient who underwent emergency thoracotomy with bilateral transection of the internal mammary vessels (arrow heads) prior to branching into the musculophrenic and the superior epigastric branches. Removal of the forth rib and preparation of the right IMA/V, DIEA/V and ligation of the right SEA/V for harvest of the rectus abdominis muscle for free transfer have been illustrated. IMA/V: The internal mammary artery and vein, SEA/V: The superior epigastric artery and vein, M: The musculophrenic branch, DIEA/V: The deep inferior epigastric artery and vein, EIA/V: The external iliac artery and vein, R: The rectus abdominis muscle, S: The sternum.