S. Spanidou

Study of the carrying angle of the human elbow joint in full extension: a morphometric analysis

This study measured the carrying angle of the elbow joint in full extension in 600 students, using the supplementary angle to that between the longitudinal axis of the arm and that of the forearm. The mean carrying angle was 12.88°±5.92: 10.97°±4.27 in men and 15.07°±4.95 in women. The carrying angle changes with skeletal growth and maturity. The angle is always greater on the side of the dominant hand. We confirmed the inverse relationship between the carrying angle and the intertrochanteric diameter. Also, the type of constitution influences the value of the carrying angle, especially in women.

Osteopoikilosis: a case report of a symptomatic patient

Osteopoikilosis (OP) is a very rare benign sclerosing bony dysplasia with an autosomal dominant inheritance. We describe the morphology of an osteopoikilosis male patient, associated with severe pain on wrist and hand joints, report on the relative literature and focus on clinical significance, due to mimicking capability of other more severe conditions such as bone metastases.

Accessory muscles in the lower part of the anterior compartment of the arm that may entrap neurovascular elements

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of abnormal muscular bands of the anterior compartment of the arm that may compress the median, the ulnar, and the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve as well as the brachial artery and vein, thus causing entrapment at and above the elbow. A total of 56 adult cadavers were studied during routine dissections that occurred in our laboratory. In the 112 upper limbs studied, we found three variant muscles of the flexor compartment of the arm (2.68%) entrapping nerves and vessels. The first muscle was emerging from the tendon of long head of biceps brachii and coracobrachialis muscle insertion. The second muscle inserted partially into the belly of biceps brachii and should be considered as a supernumenary head of biceps brachii. The third muscle, in fact, represents an accessory fascicle of the brachialis muscle that is an embryonic remnant of that muscle. A number of structures cross anterior to the median, ulnar, and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve as well as the brachial artery and vein. Compression of nerves and vessels may be caused by additional muscular bundles that pass anterior to these structures. These additional muscular bundles arise either from the brachialis, coracobrachialis, or biceps brachii muscle. Such variations have clinical implications and should be considered in patients, with a high median or ulnar or medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve paralysis with symptoms of lower brachial artery or brachial vein compression. Clin. Anat. 21: 246–251, 2008.

Morphological parameters of the superior articular facets of the atlas and potential clinical significance

BackgroundAlthough remarkable investigations exist in regard to the morphology of the superior articular facets of the atlas in the literature, only a few data exist concerning the correlation of these facets with the age of the specimens.MethodsThe superior articular facets of the atlas were studied in 86 dried vertebrae. Several non-metric parameters were recorded, like presence of notches, grooves, complete or partial dissociation, rough surfaces as well as their morphology.ResultsNo notch was found in 37.2% of the superior articular facets. The incidence of notch is decreased as the age progresses. No transverse groove was found in 24.4% and the presence is increased with the age. The incidence of complete and partial dissociations was also found to be age-related. The incidence of rough surfaces, which corresponds to the site of maximum weight bear, was found to be increased in the old age. We classified the shape of the facets into the following types: oval-shaped, kidney-shaped, S-like, triangle, circular and two portioned.ConclusionsWe assume that the increase of incidence of the dissociation, the rough surfaces, the grooves and the decrease of notches could be possibly the result of a restriction of the atlanto-occipital motion in the old age.

Double Common Bile Duct: A Case Report

Abstract The aim of our study is to present a case of double common bile duct. Specifically, we found a common bile duct that was divided into two distinct ducts, one the main and the other the accessory duct, during its course downwards. The two bile ducts had a parallel course emerging from the common bile duct after its formation and reuniting just above the head of the pancreas. Finally, they drained into the second portion of the duodenum at the site of major duodenal papilla. This anomaly is of great importance because the duplication of the common bile duct can lead to severe intraoperative injury to one of the two common bile ducts, which can be mistaken for the cystic duct and be ligated. Moreover, we present the relative international literature and the clinical significance of our finding.