A Pair of Atypical Rhomboid Muscles / 체질인류학회지

ABSTRACT

We report a pair of atypical rhomboideus muscles which originated higher than normal observed in a 49-year-old Korean male. Rhomboid muscles were not paralleogram shape but trapezoid with rhomboideus tertius attached inferior to the rhomboideus major muscles. Rhomboideus minor originated as tendon from the ligamentum nuchae of fourth and sixth cervical vertebrae level. The upper end of the origin of the rhomboideus major was the ligamentum nuchae between fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae level on the left side and the ligamentum nuchae at the sixth cervical vertebra level on the right side. The lower end of the origin of the rhomboideus major was the spinous process of the fourth thoracic vertebra on the left side and the spinous process of the second thoracic vertebra on the right side. The upper end of the origin of the rhomboideus tertius were the same as the lower end of the rhomboideus major and the lower end of the origin of the rhomboideus tertius were the spinous process of the fifth thoracic vertebrae on both sides. Whole rhomboideus muscle spanned over nine vertebrae. We compared these rhomboidei with previously reported variations and discussed its embryological and clinical significance.