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Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy 10/2022

23-09-2022 | Magnetic Resonance Imaging | Review

The prevalence of the anatomical variation in a Turkish population: supernumerary muscle–anconeus epitrochlearis

Authors: Semra Duran, Elif Gunaydin, Velihan Cayhan

Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy | Issue 10/2022

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Abstract

Introduction

The anconeus epitrochlearis (AE) muscle is an accessory muscle located between the medial cortex of the olecranon and the inferior surface of the medial epicondyle, posterior to the ulnar nerve. This muscle may compress the ulnar nerve causing a clinical neuropathy. We aimed to determine the gender and side characteristics of the AE muscle in patients who underwent elbow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and report its prevalence in a Turkish population.

Materials and methods

A total of 209 patients (210 elbows) who underwent elbow MRI between January and December 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Cases with the AE muscle were included in the study. The craniocaudal (CC) dimension was examined from the coronal section, and the transverse (TR) and anteroposterior (AP) dimensions from the axial sections. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the relationship between the presence of the AE muscle and age, gender, and side (right/left). Differences between sexes and sides in terms of muscle sizes were evaluated using statistical tests.

Results

The AE muscle was detected in 17 patients (18 elbows) (8.1%). The mean age of the patients was 41.52 ± 14.63 years. There was no statistically significant difference between the male and female patients in terms of age. This accessory muscle was found in nine female (9.8%) and eight male (6.3%) patients in total. There was one (0.5%) patient with the bilateral AE muscle, who was female. The accessory muscle was located in the right elbow in 13 patients (10.71%), and left elbow in five (4.10%). It was more common in the right elbow in both genders. The muscle was larger in the male patients and the right elbow, but this was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

The prevalence of the AE muscle was determined to be 8.1% in a Turkish population, and this muscle was more common among the women and in the right elbow.
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Metadata
Title
The prevalence of the anatomical variation in a Turkish population: supernumerary muscle–anconeus epitrochlearis
Authors
Semra Duran
Elif Gunaydin
Velihan Cayhan
Publication date
23-09-2022
Publisher
Springer Paris
Published in
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy / Issue 10/2022
Print ISSN: 0930-1038
Electronic ISSN: 1279-8517
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-03021-7

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