Anatomical study of the extensor caropi radialis muscles

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted on 94 fresh and preserved upper limbs. Twenty of them were injected with red latex through the axillary artery to study the arterial supply of the extensor carpi radialis muscles. Careful dissection was done to demonstrate the arterial and nerve supply of these muscles. The aim of this work was to study the attachment, length, breadth, thickness and anatomical variations of the extensor carpi radialis muscles as-well as their arterial and nerve supply. The extensor carpi radialis longus [ECRL] muscle was found to have a single arterial pedicle from the radial recurrent artery, which entered the proximal part of the muscle together with its nerve supply. The arterial supply to the extensor carpi radialis brevis [ECRB] muscle was formed of multiple arterial pedicles [3-5] from the radial artery that entered the muscle through its medial surface. The ECRL muscle was found to have a good arc of rotation either medially or anteriorly or anteriorly and more suitable for tendon transfer than ECRB muscle. Several anatomical variations were found in the form of extra muscle belly and extra tendon arising from either ERCL muscle and inserted with ECRB muscle and vice versa; also two extra tendons were found to arise from both ECRL and ECRB muscles. These muscles and extra tendons are valuable source for tendon transfer in reconstructive surgery