title: Anatomic variation of palmaris longus and flexor digitorum superficialis of little finger in Indian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Palmaris longus and flexor digitorum superficialis of the little finger are highly variable anatomically. The tendons vary in different parts of the globe and different regions of the same country. Many studies have negated an association between the tendons. However, most of the studies have a sample size of less than 500 subjects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to study the tendons in the Indian population and study the association, if any between the tendons and to test functional significance of the tendons using the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a single centre cross-sectional study with a sample size of 1500 in the age group of 20-60 years. The subjects were tested for the presence of the tendons and their functionality was assessed by Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire. The data was tabulated and was assessed using SPSS 13.0 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Palmaris longus was bilaterally absent in 10.9% and flexor digitorum superficialis of the little finger was bilaterally absent in 42% of the cases. There was a statistically significant association between the tendons when considered bilaterally. The tendons did not have any bearing on the functionality as assessed by the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is significant variability in the palmaris longus and flexor digitorum superficialis tendon to the little finger not only in the different countries but in different regions of the same country. However despite the various clinical and medicolegal aspects concerning both the tendons, they do not have much bearing on the functionality of the hand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, R N Cooper Hospital 400056 Vile Parle (W), Mumbai India.
authors.forename: Aakash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mugalur
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, R N Cooper Hospital 400056 Vile Parle (W), Mumbai India.
authors.forename: Sunil M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shahane
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, R N Cooper Hospital 400056 Vile Parle (W), Mumbai India.
authors.forename: Ashwin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samant
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, R N Cooper Hospital 400056 Vile Parle (W), Mumbai India.
authors.forename: Aditya C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Terna Medical College 400706 Navi Mumbai India.
authors.forename: Atul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, R N Cooper Hospital 400056 Vile Parle (W), Mumbai India.
authors.forename: Rajeev
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reddy
keywords: Abnormality; Association; Flexor tendon; Palmaris; Variability