title: Thenar insertion of abductor pollicis longus accessory tendons and thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis.
abstract: Although the etiology of osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint remains unclear, some theories have focused on variations in the local anatomy of the abductor pollicis longus tendon insertion. This cadaver study of 68 specimens analyzed the relationship between a thenar insertion of an accessory abductor pollicis longus tendon and the presence and severity of thumb CMC osteoarthritis. The joint cartilage surfaces were visually graded for degenerative changes. Thirty-five of 68 specimens (51%) had a thenar insertion, most frequently inserting on either the abductor pollicis brevis or opponens pollicis fascia or muscle belly. No significant association between a thenar insertion and thumb CMC arthritis was observed. Conversely, increasing age was noted to have a significant association with degenerative joint disease. Thus, these findings indicate that a thenar slip of the abductor pollicis longus tendon does not correlate with the presence or severity of CMC osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Strauch
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rosenwasser
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pawluk
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Mow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000601:surgery*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013709:Tendon Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation*; D013933:Thumb / Q000601:surgery*