THE PREVALENCE OF AGENESIS OF THE PALMARIS LONGUS MUSCLE TENDON BY CLINICAL EXAMINATION. A STUDY ON MEDICAL STUDENTS.

Abstract

Some small muscles in the human body have been found to be absent in a portion of the population. One of these muscles is the palmaris longus muscle. The palmaris longus is a slender fusiform muscle that originates from the medial epicondyle of the humerus, with its long distal tendon inserting into the ligamentous palmar aponeurosis. No functional disability is experienced in whom these muscles are absent. This factor is utilized by the surgeons to consider the Palmaris longus tendon as the1^st choice of DONAR TENDON. It fulfils all the necessary requirements of LENGTH, DIAMETER, AVAILABILITY and can be used in RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF PROCEDURES INCLUDING LIP AUGMENTATION, PTOSIS CORRECTION AND IN THE MANAGEMENT OF FACIAL PARALYSIS. In the present study, 650 Medical students (360 males and 290 females) of different ages from Gitam institute of medical sciences and research, Visakhapatnam were examined for the presence or absence of the PL tendon, using the conventional four tests, Schaeffer’s test, Thompson’s test, Mishra’s test, Pushpakumakar’s two finger sign method. PL agenesis was further analysed statistically for differences in the prevalence and agenesis of PL with regard to sex and side. It was observed in 290 females, the palmaris longus muscle is present in 72.06% (n=209) of the total population. Bilateral absence of the muscle is found in 18.96% (n=55) of the sample. Unilateral absence on the left side was found in 5.86% (n=17) of the cases and on the right side in 3.10% (n=9) of the cases and 360 males, 97.61% (n=351) had the palmaris longus muscle on both the left and the right sides. In the sample population, 0.47% (n=2) had bilateral absence of palmaris longus. The muscle was absent on the left side in 0.95% (n=3) of the cases and on the right side in 0.95% (n=3) of the cases.