title: Complicated axillary lymphadenectomy due to a pectoralis quartus muscle.
abstract: During lymphadenectomy in the left axilla of a 38-year-old woman with a 1.4 cm invasive ductal breast carcinoma an accessory muscle was found. Due to the presence of the anomalous muscle the lymphadenectomy was carried out with difficulty through a limited field. Based on its anatomical characteristics, the supernumerary muscle was recognized as the pectoralis quartus. To our knowledge this is the first report of a pectoralis quartus muscle as a surgical finding. The surgeon should be aware of the possible presence of this anomaly as well as its anatomical characteristics in order to avoid any complications.
authors: 3rd Surgical Department-Breast Unit, Theagenio Cancer Hospital of Thessaloniki, Greece. totlis@med.auth.gr
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Totlis
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Iosifidou
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Pavlidou
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Sofidis
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Natsis
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bousoulegas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000002:abnormalities*; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D016896:Treatment Outcome