A lumbosacral transitional vertebra is a rare congenital anomaly which occurs because of defect in the segmentation of the lumbosacral spine during development. During routine osteology classes for the medical students at the Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India, one of the sacra showed the fusion of the fifth lumbar vertebra with the sacrum. The specimen showed an incomplete fusion (sacralization) on the left side and the transverse process was of the large butterfly shape, while on the right it was about the usual size. Though this variation is well known, the details of this anomaly are rarely reported in the anatomical literature. Since there is a strong relationship between the lumbosacral transitional vertebrae and low back pain, this anomaly has gotten increased clinical interest. So this case was studied in detail with relevant review of literature and its surgical, radiological implications are discussed.

Una vértebra de transición lumbosacra es una anomalía congénita rara que se produce debido a defectos en la segmentación de la columna lumbosacra durante el desarrollo. Durante una clase de osteología para estudiantes de medicina en Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India, una de las regiones sacras mostró fusión de la quinta vértebra lumbar con el sacro. El especimen mostró fusión incompleta (sacralización) en el lado izquierdo y el proceso transverso tenía forma de mariposa grande, mientras que en el derecho se observó de tamaño normal. A pesar que esta variación es conocida, los detalles de esta anomalía rara vez son reportados en la literatura anatómica. Puesto que existe una fuerte relación entre las vértebras de transición lumbosacra y el dolor de espalda baja, esta anomalía tiene gran interés clínico. Este caso fue estudiado en detalle con la revisión pertinente de la literatura, y son discutidas sus implicancias quirúrgicas y radiológicas.

The aim of the present study was to obtain the measurements of the different humerus segments and to estimate the length of humeri from them. For this purpose 100 (51 left and 49 right) sex-aggregated, adult dry humerus from Indian population, were taken to analyze the morphometric details of the humerus segments. The distance between five different segments viz: most proximal point of the humeral head and greater tuberosity (HA), head of the humerus and surgical neck of humerus (HB), proximal and distal point of olecranon fossa (HC), the distal point of olecranon fossa and trochlea of humerus (HD), proximal point of olecranon fossa and distal point of trochlea of humerus (HE) and finally the maximum length of humerus (HL) were obtained by means of an osteometrical board and an analogical caliper. Simples linear regressions (p < 0.01) were made to correlate each segment with the total length of the humerus. Positive results were obtained in segments HB and HE of right humerus. Regressions formulae were obtained to define these estimative. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that length of the humerus can be estimated from measures of different segments of humerus and this study helps in forensic, anatomic and archeological cases in order to identify unknown bodies and to determine stature of the individual and as well as for the orthopedic surgeons for the treatment of proximal and distal humerus fractures and for their reconstruction.

El objetivo del estudio fue obtener las medidas de diferentes segmentos del húmero y calcular la longitud del húmero a partir de ellos. Fueron seleccionados 100 (51 izquierdos y 49 derechos) húmeros adultos secos, separados por sexo, de población india para analizar los detalles morfométricos de los segmentos dle hueso. La distancia entre cinco segmentos diferentes fueron establecidos: punto más proximal de la cabeza humeral y la tuberosidad mayor (HA), cabeza del húmero y cuello quirúrgico del húmero (HB), punto proximal y distal de la fosa olecraneana (HC), punto distal de la fosa olecraneana y la tróclea del húmero (HD), punto proximal de la fosa olecraneana y punto distal de la tróclea del húmero (HE) y, finalmente, la longitud máxima del húmero (HL) medidas obtenidas por medio de una tabla osteométrica y un caliper análogo. Se realizaron regresiones lineales simples para correlacionar cada segmento con la longitud total del húmero. Se obtuvieron resultados positivos en los segmentos de HB y HE de húmero derecho. Fórmulas de regresión se obtuvieron para definir estimativos. En conclusión, nuestro estudio demostró que la longitud del húmero puede estimarse a partir de las medidas de los diferentes segmentos del hueso, ayudando en casos forenses, anatómicos y arqueológicos con el fin de identificar cuerpos desconocidos o para determinar la estatura de la persona, así como a cirujanos ortopédicos para el tratamiento de las fracturas proximales y distales del húmero o para su reconstrucción.

The morphometrical data related to the menisci of the adults have been reported by few authors and that of the fetuses have not been reported. The aims of the present study were to analyse the external circumference thickness, the width, peripheral and inner border lengths, and the distance between anterior and posterior horns of the fetal menisci and to compare the meniscal dimensions with that of the adult meniscal parameters which are available in the literature. The menisci from 106 knee joints of the formalin fixed South Indian fetuses which were obtained from the anatomy department were analysed. The fetuses which had musculoskeletal anomalies were excluded from the study. A vernier caliper of 0.02 mm accuracy and a non elastic cotton thread were used for the morphometry. After comparing the meniscal dimensions of the present study with the adult meniscus parameters, we established that the fetal parameters of the meniscus are entirely different from the adults. These differences are may be due to the mesenchymal differentiation or variability of the vasculature early in embryonic life. We believe that our study will provide support to the fetal anatomy, concerning surgical procedures and arthroscopy of the knee joint. Since the morphometric studies of the fetal menisci are not reported, this study may be considered new and needs to be studied further with different groups of fetuses from various stages of intrauterine development. This study is important not only for orthopedic surgeons, but also for morphologists and embryologists.

Los datos morfométricos relacionados con los meniscos de los adultos han sido reportados por algunos autores, mientras que en fetos éstos aún no han sido descritos. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar, en fetos, el grosor de la circunferencia externa, ancho, y longitud de los márgenes interno y externo, asi como la distancia entre los cuernos anteriores y posteriores. Además, comparar las dimensiones del menisco fetal con los parámetros de adultos disponibles en la literatura. Fueron analizados los meniscos de 106 articulaciones de rodillas fijadas en formalina, pertenecientes a fetos del sur de la India, obtenidos desde el Departamento de Anatomía. Los fetos con anomalías musculoesqueléticas fueron excluidos del estudio. Un pie de metro de 0,02 mm de precisión junto a hilo de algodón no elástico fueron utilizados para la morfometría. Después de comparar las dimensiones del menisco del presente estudio con los parámetros de meniscos adultos se estableció que los meniscos fetales son totalmente diferentes a los adultos. Estas diferencias pueden deberse a la diferenciación mesenquimal o la variabilidad de temprana vasculatura en la vida embrionaria. Creemos que nuestro estudio prestará apoyo a la anatomía fetal, en relación con los procedimientos quirúrgicos y la artroscopía de la rodilla. Los estudios morfométricos no han informado datos en meniscos fetales, por lo que esta investigación puede ser considerada novedosa y requiere seguir siendo estudiada con diferentes grupos de fetos en las diversas etapas del desarrollo intrauterino. Además el estudio de ser importante para los cirujanos ortopédicos, también lo es para morfólogos y embriólogos.

INTRODUCTION: General surgeons dealing with laparoscopic herniorrhaphy should be aware of the aberrant obturator artery that crosses the superior pubic ramus and is susceptible to injuries during dissection of the Bogros space and mesh stapling onto Cooper's ligament. The obturator artery is usually described as a branch of the anterior division of the internal iliac artery, although variations have been reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted on 98 pelvic halves of embalmed cadavers, and the origin and course of the obturator artery were traced and noted. RESULTS: In 79% of the specimens, the obturator artery was a branch of the internal iliac artery. It branched off at different levels either from the anterior division or posterior division, individually or with other named branches. In 19% of the cases, the obturator artery branched off from the external iliac artery as a separate branch or with the inferior epigastric artery. However, in the remaining 2% of the specimens, both the internal and the external iliac arteries branched to form an anastomotic structure within the pelvic cavity. CONCLUSION: The data obtained in this study show that it is more common to find an abnormal obturator artery than was reported previously, and this observation has implications for pelvic surgeons and is of academic interest to anatomists. Surgeons dealing with direct, indirect, femoral, or obturator hernias need to be aware of these variations and their close proximity to the femoral ring.

Variações arteriais de partes distais dos membros inferiores estão bem documentadas e podem ser demonstradas com o auxílio de ultra-sonografia Doppler ou por arteriografia. Entretanto, a ausência ou variação da artéria tibial posterior é um raro achado. Apresentamos um caso de artéria tibial posterior hipoplásica que terminava suprindo o músculo solear. Esse suprimento arterial variante foi fornecido pela artéria peroneal aumentada que continuava como artéria plantar lateral. Estar consciente dessas variações é importante para cirurgiões vasculares ao realizarem reconstruções arteriais em procedimentos de derivação femorodistal, bem como para ortopedistas durante correção cirúrgica do pé torto.

Arterial variations of distal parts of lower extremities are well-documented and can be demonstrated with the help of Doppler ultrasound or by arteriography. However, absence or variation of posterior tibial artery is considered a rare finding. We present a case of hypoplastic posterior tibial artery that terminated by supplying soleus muscle. The variant arterial supply to the sole was provided by the enlarged peroneal artery that continued as the lateral plantar artery. The awareness of these variations is important to vascular surgeons while performing arterial reconstructions in femorodistal bypass graft procedures, and also to orthopedists during surgical clubfoot release.

Many of the anatomical variations that are inadequately described or quantified are actually more clinically and surgically significant than being just anatomical curiosities. We report about such a variation where an aberrant slip existed in the scalene group, in a 56 year old embalmed female cadáver. This kind of variation may affect the size of the scalene triangle, and thus, may potentially result in varied signs and symptoms in patients vulnerable to thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). Proximity of the scalene muscles to the brachial plexus, subclavian artery and vein, coexisting with aberrant slips or bundles may also predispose to compression syndromes.

Muchas de las variaciones anatómicas no están suficientemente descritas o cuantificadas y son actualmente clínica y quirúrgicamente significativas más que curiosidades anatómicas. Reportamos una variación anatómica en el grupo de los músculos escalenos, presente en un cadáver de una mujer de 56 años. Este tipo de variación puede afectar el tamaño del triángulo escalénico y por lo tanto, puede potencialmente resultar en variados signos y síntomas en pacientes vulnerables al síndrome de salida torácica. La proximidad de los músculos escalenos con el plexo braquial, arteria y vena suclavias, coexistiendo con fascículos aberrantes pueden predisponer a síndromes de compresión.

During routine dissection in the Department of Anatomy, multiple variations of forearm muscles in relation to the radial nerve and its branches were observed on the right side of a 34 year old male cadaver. Brachioradialis close to its origin was receiving muscle fibers from the brachialis and the radial nerve was passing in between them. Extensor carpi radialis brevis was absent and the extensor carpi radialis longus was giving two tendons in the second compartment of extensor retinaculum before its insertion while passing deep to the abductor pollicis longus. Absence of extensor carpi radialis brevis can be explained with the arrangement in lower mammals, where the two extensores carpi radiales are represented by one muscle. Ontogeny repeats phylogeny and anatomical variations have developmental basis. Henee, the pattern of muscular arrangement in this case can be said to be less evolved than the usual arrangement. The course of radial nerve between the two heads of brachioradialis makes it highly vulnerable to compression and injury, which may manifest as wrist drop (radial nerve palsy) or radial tunnel syndrome (compression of posterior interosseous nerve).

Durante una disección de rutina en el Departamento de Anatomía, se observaron múltiples variaciones de los músculos del antebrazo, en relación con el nervio radial y sus ramos, en el lado derecho de un cadáver de 34 años de edad, de sexo masculino. Cerca de su origen el músculo braquioradial recibía fibras del músculo braquial y el nervio radial cruzaba entre ellos. El músculo extensor radial corto del carpo se encontraba ausente y el músculo extensor radial largo del carpo se continuaba con dos tendones en el segundo compartimiento del retináculo extensor, bajo el músculo abductor largo de pulgar, antes de su inserción. La ausencia del músculo extensor radial corto del carpo se puede explicar en mamíferos inferiores, donde los dos músculos extensores radiales están representados por un sólo músculo. La ontogenia repite la filogenia y las variaciones anatómicas inciden en su desarrollo. Por lo tanto, de acuerdo al patrón muscular se puede afirmar que en este caso existe menos evolución que lo habitual. El curso del nervio radial entre las dos cabezas del músculo braquioradial, lo hace muy vulnerable a la compresión y las lesiones, que pueden manifestarse son, caída de la muñeca (parálisis del nervio radial) o el síndrome del túnel radial (compresión del nervio interóseo posterior).

During routine dissection practice a supernumerary muscle was found on the right side infraclavicular region of a male cadaver. This muscle was arising from the superior surface of the first rib and its coastal cartilage and inserted to a thick ligament that extended from the medial end of the suprascapular notch to the capsule of the acromioclavicular joint. This accessory muscle slip was innervated by a branch from the nerve to subclavius. According to its location and innervation the aberrant muscle was considered to be the subclavius posticus. The anatomic relationships of the muscle make it clinically significant

Durante una disección de rutina, un músculo supernumerario fue encontrado en el lado derecho de la región infraclavicular de una cadáver de sexo masculino. Este músculo se originaba de la superficie superior de la primera costilla y cartílago costal y se insertaba en un grueso ligamento que se extendía desde la parte medial de la incisura supraescapular a la cápsula de la articulación acromioclavicular. Este músculo estaba inervado por un ramo del nervio subclavio. De acuerdo a su localización e inervación el músculo aberrante fue considerado como el músculo subclavio posticus. Las relaciones anatómicas del músculo tienen significancia clínica

Durante uma dissecção de rotina realizada em um cadáver do sexo masculino com 65 anos de idade foi constatada malformação arterial iliofemoral. A aorta abdominal estava consideravelmente deslocada lateralmente e também bifurcava em nível mais alto. A artéria ilíaca comum dividia-se uma vértebra acima do nível normal e a artéria femoral dava origem à artéria femoral profunda aproximadamente l,2 cm abaixo do ligamento inguinal, o que é consideravelmente proximal ao seu nível normal. Aqui nós apresentamos uma breve revisão de literatura e base embriológica dessas anomalias.

During routine dissection, an Iliofemoral arterial malformation was noticed in a 65 year old male cadaver. The abdominal aorta was considerably laterally displaced and also bifurcated higher up. The common iliac artery divided one vertebral level higher and the femoral artery gave the profunda femoris artery about 1.2 cm below the inguinal ligament, which is considerably proximal to its usual level of origin. A brief review of literature and embryological basis of the anomalies are discussed.

OBJETIVOS: Determinar a porcentagem e o tipo de variações do arco aórtico em indivíduos indianos, bem como sua importância clínica e cirúrgica e base embriológica. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Em nossa investigação, os padrões de ramificação do arco aórtico foram estudados em 62 cadáveres fixados em formalina de ambos os sexos, de origem indiana e com idade entre 45 e 79 anos. As dissecações foram realizadas em cadáveres preservados em formalina, e as variações do arco aórtico foram observadas após a exposição das regiões torácica e cervical durante a dissecação de rotina de alunos da graduação do Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Índia. RESULTADOS: O arco aórtico normal de três ramificações foi encontrado em 56 cadáveres (91,4%); as variações foram encontradas em seis cadáveres (9,6%); 4,8% apresentavam origem comum das artérias carótidas; 1,6% tinham seqüência binominada, e o mesmo espécime tinha a origem da artéria coronária esquerda diretamente no arco aórtico; 1,6% apresentavam a origem da artéria subclávia direita diretamente na aorta; 1,6% tinham como ramificação do arco aórtico uma artéria vertebral esquerda. Cinco de seis cadáveres com padrão de ramificação anômalo do arco aórtico eram do sexo feminino. Um cadáver do sexo masculino apresentou origem anômala da artéria vertebral esquerda diretamente no arco. CONCLUSÃO: O amplo espectro de variações nos padrões anatômicos das ramificações do arco aórtico na população indiana estava em concordância com outras populações mundiais. Embora as origens anômalas das ramificações do arco aórtico sejam meramente variações anatômicas, informações precisas sobre elas é essencial para a cirurgia vascular na região do tórax, cabeça e pescoço.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the percentage and type of aortic arch variations in Indian subjects and their clinical and surgical importance and embryological basis. PATIENTS AND METHOD: In our investigation, branching patterns of the aortic arch were studied in 62 formalin-fixed cadavers of both sexes of Indian origin, aged 45-79. The dissections were carried out in formalin-preserved cadavers and the aortic arch variations were observed after exposing the thoracic and cervical region during routine dissection of undergraduate students of Indian origin in Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. RESULTS: The usual three-branched aortic arch was found in 56 cadavers (91.4%); variations were found in six cadavers (9.6%); 4.8% presented common origin of the carotid arteries; 1.6% had bi-innominate sequence, and the same specimen had left coronary artery arising from arch of aorta directly; 1.6% presented right subclavian artery arising directly from the aorta; 1.6% had left vertebral artery a branch of aortic arch. Five out of six cadavers with anomalous aortic arch branching pattern were females. One male cadaver presented anomalous origin of left vertebral artery directly from the arch. CONCLUSION: The wide spectrum of variations in the anatomical arrangements of the aortic arch branches in the Indian population was at par with other populations of the world. Although anomalous origins of the aortic arch branches are merely anatomic variants, accurate information about them is vital for vascular surgery in the thorax, head and neck region.