Isolated flexor muscles of the little toe in the feet of an individual with atrophied or lacking 4th head of the M. extensor digitorum brevis and lacking the 4th tendon of the M. extensor digitorum longus.
While dissecting the body of a 75-year-old male we observed variations in the Mm. flexor digitorum brevis and longus of both feet. In the left foot, the 4th tendon of the M. flexor digitorum brevis was atrophied and the respective tendon of the M. flexor digitorum longus to the little toe was absent. In the right foot, the 4th tendons of both the Mm. flexor digitorum brevis and longus to the little toe were absent. The lacking deep flexor tendon to the little toe in the left foot was replaced by an isolated flexor muscle originating from the medial and lateral processes of the calcaneal tuberosity, which additionally had connections to the tendinous plate of the M. flexor digitorum longus and the M. quadratus plantae. The absent superficial and deep flexor tendons to the little toe in the right foot were replaced by an isolated flexor muscle arising from the M. quadratus plantae distal from the medial process of the calcaneal tuberosity. The tendon of both isolated flexor muscles inserted in the distal phalanx of the little toe. The left isolated flexor muscle for the little toe had connections to the M. flexor digitorum longus and the M. quadratus plantae. From these results it seems likely that the M. quadratus plantae could be regarded as additional flexor head (caput breve or plantare) of the M. flexor digitorum longus as is described in classic textbooks. In the individual's lifetime the described variation perhaps led to the possibility of an isolated flexion of the little toe.
Claassen
Horst
H
Institut für Anatomie, Universität Rostock, Gertrudenstrasse 9, D-18055 Rostock. horst.claassen@med.uni-rostock.de
Wree
Andreas
A
D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D001344:Autopsy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology; D014034:Toes / Q000473:pathology*