Ten concurrent anatomical variations in a single cadaver involving the muscular, vascular, and nervous systems

Anatomical variations are frequently reported in cadaveric studies, although most reports focus on isolated anomalies rather than multiple concurrent variations. Recognizing such variations is important for clinicians and anatomists because they may influence surgical approaches, diagnostic interpretation, and patient outcomes.

During dissection of the cadaver of a 60-year-old Asian woman, we identified ten variations involving the muscular, vascular, and nervous systems: (1) pectoralis quartus, (2) extensor carpi radialis intermedius (ECRI), (3) bilateral absence of the plantaris muscle, (4) an aberrant origin of the superior thoracic artery (STA), (5) a persistent median artery (PMA) with a high division of the median nerve, (6) an abnormal origin of the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA), (7) an atypical origin of the iliolumbar artery (ILA), (8) penetration of the sciatic nerve by the inferior gluteal artery (IGA), (9) bilateral sciatic nerve anomalies, and (10) a variation of the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve (PFCN) in the gluteal region.

To our knowledge, this combination of anatomical variations has not previously been documented in a single cadaver. This case highlights the importance of understanding anatomical variability for surgical planning and diagnostic imaging.