During routine dissection, of the lower limb of a 70 years old donated embalmed male cadaver in the Department of Anatomy, K.J. Somaiya Medical College, Sion, Mumbai, India, we observed two dorsalis pedis arteries arising from the anterior tibial artery. The anterior tibial artery divides into two dorsalis pedis arteries in the lower part of the leg. Both the to the dorsalis pedis arteries travelled together on the dorsum of the foot up to the proximal part of the first intermetatarsal space. The pattern of nerves in the leg was normal. The variation was bilateral. The photographs of the double dorsalis pedis arteries of both the lower limbs were taken for proper documentation. The awareness of the double dorsalis pedis arteries is clinically important for surgeons, plastic surgeons and orthopaedicians. The knowledge of any variation in the course and distribution of dorsalis pedis artery is clinically important because the dorsalis pedis artery is used to record peripheral arterial pulsation. Also the musculo-cutaneous flaps based on dorsalis pedis artery are commonly used for reconstructive surgeries. A lack of knowledge of such type of variations might complicate surgical repair. The non healing diabetic foot ulcers are challenging problems, for surgeons, which are commonly dealt with by musculocutaneous flaps based on the branches of dorsalis pedis artery.
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