Unusual innervation pattern of pectoralis minor muscle-anatomical description and clinical implications.

The highlight of the current case study is unique branching pattern of the medial pectoral nerve in relation to the pectoralis minor muscle. In addition, the third thoracic spinal nerve also was observed to penetrate the muscle. The lateral pectoral nerve did not innervate the muscle. The pectoralis minor was observed to be pierced extensively by multiple branches from medial pectoral nerve. Therefore, this study was planned to report this unusual presentation. Such an extensive neural arrangement in relation to pectoralis minor is rather unusual and to the best of our knowledge has been not reported earlier. The possible clinical consequence of much an anomaly could be motor and sensory loss associated with accidental injury of these multiple nerves penetrating the substance of pectoralis minor while performing axillary lymphadenectomy. In accordance to the above case description, the surgeon should be cautioned of these possible neural branches while performing axillary dissection in mastectomy. Additionally, iatrogenic sensory or motor losses may be prevented by appropriate knowledge of these variations.

Anomalous disposition of profunda femoris artery: a clinicoanatomical appraisal.

During educational dissection of the left lower limb of an adult Indian male cadaver, an unusual variation of the branches of the femoral artery and profunda femoris artery (PFA), were observed. The profunda femoris artery and medial circumflex femoral artery took origin from a common arterial trunk from the medial side of femoral artery. The PFA coursed lateral to the femoral vein. The lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) took origin, 1.2 cm proximal to the origin of the latter. The lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) took origin directly from the femoral artery. The femoral vein was constantly medial to the PFA and coursed between it and femoral artery. The great saphenous vein was observed to course medial to the PFA and at its termination coursed anterior to the latter to drain into the femoral vein. Changes in caliber of femoral artery were recorded at the site of origin of the variant branches.

Unusual grooved styloid process in a human skull: morphological details and clinical implications.

The temporal Styloid Process is an important anatomical landmark for surgeons while performing skull based surgery, for anaesthetists while injecting local anaesthetic solution and for radiologists during interpretation of CT and MRI scans. Knowledge of morphological variations of the styloid process such as a unique groove on its posterior aspect as seen in the present case not only has great clinical implications but is also of academic interest. The present article describes in detail an unusual groove in the styloid process with an additional anterior angulation at its tip. The morphological features, embryological basis and clinical relevance is discussed in details.