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Variant of the extensor pollicis tertius: a case report on a unique extensor muscle to the thumb

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Abstract

Variations on muscular and tendinous connections of the hand occur frequently in the human population and are often discovered during routine surgical procedures and cadaveric dissections. A knowledge of such anomalies is important to the physician in order to avoid unintentional damage to healthy tendons during surgical procedures. In addition, accessory tendons have the potential to be used in the repair or replacement of damaged tendons through surgical transfer or transplantation. Here we describe a unique variant of the extensor pollicis tertius muscle that has its origin at the proximal end of the extensor indicis muscle and inserts on the tendon of the extensor pollicis longus at the proximal shaft of the proximal phalanx of the thumb.

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Acknowledgments

Our thanks are extended to the generosity of the whole body donors provided by the UCLA Donated Body Program and to Dr. Prosper Benhaim for his helpful comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Benjamin E. Bluth & Bian Wu

  2. Division of Integrative Anatomy, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), 10833 Le Conte Ave., Room 52-060 CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1732, USA

    M. Elena Stark & Jonathan J. Wisco

Authors
  1. Benjamin E. Bluth
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  2. Bian Wu
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  3. M. Elena Stark
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  4. Jonathan J. Wisco
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Correspondence to Jonathan J. Wisco.

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Bluth, B.E., Wu, B., Elena Stark, M. et al. Variant of the extensor pollicis tertius: a case report on a unique extensor muscle to the thumb. Anat Sci Int 86, 160–163 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-010-0074-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-010-0074-6

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