Vol 72, No 3 (2013)
Original article
Submitted: 2013-02-26
Accepted: 2013-04-24
Published online: 2013-09-05
Anatomical variations of the hand extensors
G. A. Abdel-Hamid, R. A. El-Beshbishy, I. H. Abdel Aal
DOI: 10.5603/FM.2013.0040
·
Folia Morphol 2013;72(3):249-257.
Vol 72, No 3 (2013)
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Submitted: 2013-02-26
Accepted: 2013-04-24
Published online: 2013-09-05
Abstract
This study was performed to investigate the anatomy and variations of the humanextensor tendons of the fingers and their intertendinous connections. Ninetyfive upper limbs of adult cadavers were dissected. The variations in the extensortendons of the fingers, both proximal and distal to the extensor retinaculum, andtheir mode of insertion were observed. Also, the intertendinous connections wereexplored and the obtained data were analysed. The extensor pollicis longus andbrevis tendons were found to be single, doubled or, rarely, absent. Their insertioncould be traced to either the proximal phalanx, or through the extensor expansionto both phalanges, or rarely to the distal phalanx of thumb. The extensor indicishad a single tendon in all specimens. In the majority of specimens, extensor digitorumhad no independent slip to the little finger; it gave off a single tendonto the index, double tendons to the middle finger and triple tendons to the ringfinger. Extensor digiti minimi muscle often had double or triple tendons distal tothe extensor retinaculum. Three types of juncturae tendinum (JT) were identifiedbetween the tendons of extensor digitorum in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th intermetacarpalspaces (IMS) of hands. Types 1 and 2 JT were seen in the three IMS. Type 3 JTwas the most frequently identified of all juncturae and was always absent in the2nd IMS. The percentages of the present data were compared with other researchers’data.
Abstract
This study was performed to investigate the anatomy and variations of the humanextensor tendons of the fingers and their intertendinous connections. Ninetyfive upper limbs of adult cadavers were dissected. The variations in the extensortendons of the fingers, both proximal and distal to the extensor retinaculum, andtheir mode of insertion were observed. Also, the intertendinous connections wereexplored and the obtained data were analysed. The extensor pollicis longus andbrevis tendons were found to be single, doubled or, rarely, absent. Their insertioncould be traced to either the proximal phalanx, or through the extensor expansionto both phalanges, or rarely to the distal phalanx of thumb. The extensor indicishad a single tendon in all specimens. In the majority of specimens, extensor digitorumhad no independent slip to the little finger; it gave off a single tendonto the index, double tendons to the middle finger and triple tendons to the ringfinger. Extensor digiti minimi muscle often had double or triple tendons distal tothe extensor retinaculum. Three types of juncturae tendinum (JT) were identifiedbetween the tendons of extensor digitorum in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th intermetacarpalspaces (IMS) of hands. Types 1 and 2 JT were seen in the three IMS. Type 3 JTwas the most frequently identified of all juncturae and was always absent in the2nd IMS. The percentages of the present data were compared with other researchers’data.
Keywords
extensor, pollicis, digitorum, digiti minimi, indicis, tendons, anatomical, variations, insertions
Title
Anatomical variations of the hand extensors
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 72, No 3 (2013)
Article type
Original article
Pages
249-257
Published online
2013-09-05
Page views
2685
Article views/downloads
4937
DOI
10.5603/FM.2013.0040
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2013;72(3):249-257.
Keywords
extensor
pollicis
digitorum
digiti minimi
indicis
tendons
anatomical
variations
insertions
Authors
G. A. Abdel-Hamid
R. A. El-Beshbishy
I. H. Abdel Aal