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Flexor tendon rupture associated with an anomalous muscle
1Department of Orthopaedics, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pa. 17822.
The Journal of Hand Surgery
|January 1, 1988
Summary
A rare flexor digitorum profundus tendon rupture in the small finger was linked to an unusual flexor digitorum superficialis muscle anomaly. This anatomical variation may predispose the tendon to failure.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Anatomy
- Tendons
Background:
- Flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendons are crucial for finger flexion.
- Anomalies in the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) muscle are uncommon but can affect hand function.
Observation:
- A rupture of a seemingly normal FDP tendon in the left small finger was identified.
- This rupture was associated with a previously undocumented anomalous FDS muscle of the brevis type in the same finger.
Findings:
- Literature review revealed 20 cases of anomalous FDS muscles, predominantly in females and on the right or bilateral sides.
- Three reported brevis-type FDS anomalies all involved the index finger, unlike the present case.
Implications:
- The precise cause of the FDP tendon rupture remains unclear.
- It is hypothesized that the anomalous FDS muscle may have compromised the vinculum longus, increasing the FDP tendon's susceptibility to rupture.