title: Muscular bridge between the inferior oblique and inferior rectus muscles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we aimed to investigate the muscular bridge between the inferior oblique (IO) and inferior rectus (IR) muscles of the eye.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The orbits of sixty intact cadavers with no history of eye muscle or orbital disorders during life were carefully dissected to expose the muscular bridge between the IO and IR muscles. Numbers of the bridges, their length and width were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed muscular bridge between IO and IR muscles in 6.6% of 60 orbits. They originated from the lateral side of the IR muscle, and joined to posteromedial side of the IO muscle. Mean length and width were 14.2 +/- 6.3 and 1.3 +/- 0.2 mm, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Muscular bridges were found in 6.6% of orbits dissected. We conclude that muscular bridges are important due to potential cause of failed IO or IR muscles surgery. In this respect, before surgery of the extraocular muscles, the muscular bridges should be kept in mind and demonstrated by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in transverse, sagittal, and coronal planes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. byalcin@gata.edu.tr
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yalçin
authors.forename: Necdet
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kocabiyik
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozan
authors.forename: Tunç
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kutoglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D009915:Orbit / Q000033:anatomy & histology