The first description of the absence of the palmaris longus muscle.
BACKGROUND
While Realdo Colombo from Cremona, Italy has, to date, been acknowledged to be the first to describe the possible absence of the palmaris longus muscle in men in 1559, the authors found this absence to be recorded in the first edition of "De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septum" by Andreas Vesalius, published in 1543.


METHODS
To commemorate Vesalius' 500th birthday, this earlier record is quoted and discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
It remains unknown whether the observation on the absence of the palmaris longus was first done by Vesalius or was based on joined work by Vesalius and Colombo.
a Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery , Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
Romy J
RJ
Brinkman
a Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery , Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
J Joris
JJ
Hage
D000715:Anatomy / Q000266:history*; D005542:Forearm; D049669:History, 16th Century; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000002:abnormalities*
Anatomy of hand; Andreas Vesalius; Realdo Colombo; anatomical variation; hand surgery; history of hand surgery; palmaris longus muscle