Sub-hepatic Caecum with Extra-pelvic Looped Sigmoid Colon: An Embryological and Clinical Perspective

Introduction: We encountered variation in the placementof large intestine in abdominal cavity of a 76-years-old malecadaver during dissection of abdominal cavity. The workwas performed in Department of Anatomy during routineMBBS teaching sessions. The aim of this paper is to reportco-existence of error of mid-gut development and alongwith variant topo-morphology of sigmoid colon in the samecadaver.Case Report: Sub-hepatic caecum with high riding vermiformappendix with absent ascending colon was seen on the rightside of abdominal cavity. Concomitantly on the left side of theabdominal cavity dilated, looped sigmoid colon occupied theleft hypochondrium, left lumbar region and left iliac fossa. Wereport these findings along with the embryological basis andclinical significance.Conclusion: An insight about the errors in development ofmid-gut resulting into the variant topography of caecum willfacilitate surgeons and radiologists in prompt diagnosis andquick modification of the protocol during invasive procedures.

Anatomical description and clinical significance of unilateral triheaded sternocleidomastoid muscle.

Objective of this report is to observe and report unusual pattern of origin of sternal and clavicular heads of Sternocleidomastoid (SCM). An embryological insight into the possible causes for present anomaly is elucidated. The neck region of an adult male cadaver during gross anatomy teaching program. An abnormal Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) was observed while dissecting the neck region of an adult. Additional clavicular head of SCM muscle were found on the right side. The accessory clavicular head coursed deep to the sternal head whereas the some fibres of main clavicular head joined the accessory belly and together they fused with the main sternal head of SCM. There was another slip arising from sternal head and merge with deep cervical fascia near base of mandible. The topographical anatomy of SCM is extremely important, particularly because it serves as a useful surgical landmark and its relation to crucial neuro-vascular structures of the neck. The usage of SCM in reconstruction operations for covering defects is discussed. A detailed knowledge of the anatomy of SCM proves vital for radiological studies of the neck.

Ossified pterygo-spinous ligament: incidence and clinico-anatomical relevance in the adult human skulls of North India.

Study of skulls has attracted the attention of anatomists since ages and sporadic attempts have been made to study skulls from time-to-time. Talking about the pterygoid processes of sphenoid bone, the irregular posterior border of lateral pterygoid plate usually presents, towards its upper part, a pterygo-spinous process, from which the pterygo-spinous ligament extends backwards and laterally to the spine of sphenoid. This ligament sometimes gets ossified as pterygo-spinous bar and a foramen is then formed named pterygo-spinous foramen, for the passage of muscular branches of mandibular nerve. The present study was undertaken to observe the incidence and status of pterygo-spinous bony bridge and foramen, its variations and clinical relevance in the adult human skulls of North India. For this purpose, 50 skulls were observed, pterygo-spinous bars were found to be present in 7 skulls, out of which completely ossified pterygo-spinous bony bridges were present in 2 skulls while 5 skulls had incompletely ossified pterygo-spinous ligaments. Such variations are of clinical significance for radiologists, neurologists, maxillo-facial & dental surgeons and anaesthetists, too.

Variant course and branching of right brachial artery: a case study.

A variant course and branching pattern of the right brachial artery was recorded in a 54-year-old male cadaver during the practical sessions of University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India. The right brachial artery divided in the middle third of arm into a medial superficial and lateral deep branch. The superficial medial branch descended anterior to the median nerve and ended by dividing in the cubital fossa into ulnar and radial arteries, whereas the lateral branch descended postero-medial to the median nerve, ending deep to pronator teres as the common interosseous artery. The left brachial artery showed a normal branching pattern by dividing into radial and ulnar arteries in the cubital fossa. The probable origin of such a variation is embryological and familiarity with such variations is imperative as they might affect dynamics of limb function or alter the course of interventional procedures.