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Utility of Dissociated Intrinsic Hand Muscle Atrophy in the Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Published on: March 4, 2014
The compartments of the hand: an anatomic study
A DiFelice1, J G Seiler, T E Whitesides
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, and Georgia Hand and Microsurgery, Atlanta 30309-1299, USA.
The Journal of Hand Surgery
|August 26, 1998
Summary
The hand
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Surgical Anatomy
Background:
- Understanding the compartmentalization of hand myofascial spaces is crucial for surgical procedures like fasciotomy.
- Previous anatomical studies have provided foundational knowledge, but detailed subcompartmentalization requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To precisely define the number and nature of enclosed myofascial spaces within the human hand.
- To investigate the degree of subcompartmentalization in key hand spaces, including the thenar, hypothenar, and interosseous compartments.
Main Methods:
- Anatomical dissection of 21 cadaver hands.
- Gelatin injection technique to delineate myofascial spaces.
- Systematic collection and analysis of data from cross-sections.
Main Results:
- The thenar space exhibited 2 or more compartments in 52% of specimens.
- The hypothenar space showed at least 2 compartments in 76% of hands.
- Significant variability was observed in interosseous compartments, with subcompartmentalization present in 33-67% of specimens.
Conclusions:
- The enclosed myofascial spaces of the hand, particularly the thenar, hypothenar, and interosseous compartments, frequently display subcompartmentalization.
- Surgeons should anticipate and thoroughly inspect these spaces during procedures like fasciotomy to ensure complete release.
- Generous release of muscular origins along the metacarpal is recommended for comprehensive surgical access.
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