# Unveiling the Extraordinary: A Rare Type IIIA Infra-Popliteal Arterial Variation in a Free Fibula Osteocutaneous Flap for Mandibular Reconstruction

## TL;DR

This paper describes a rare arterial variation encountered during a surgical procedure for jaw reconstruction using a fibula flap.

## Contribution

The study presents a rare Type IIIA infra-popliteal arterial variation encountered during mandibular reconstruction using a free fibula flap.

## Key findings

- A Type IIIA infra-popliteal arterial variation was successfully managed during mandibular reconstruction.
- The variation was not detected by preoperative vascular examination of the leg.
- Successful surgical outcomes were achieved despite the anatomical surprise.

## Abstract

The free fibula flap (FFF), based on the peroneal artery (PA) system, is the gold standard for mandibular reconstruction. Various anatomical variations in the infra-popliteal lower limb vascular system exist. These variations present as an intraoperative surprise to surgeons even after an unremarkable clinical vascular examination of the leg. Here, we report one such case, where we performed successful mandibular reconstruction after encountering a Type IIIA variation of infra-popliteal arterial vasculature.