Accessory muscles of the anterior thoracic wall and axilla. Cadaveric, surgical and radiological incidence and clinical significance during breast and axillary surgery

The present study aims to summarise the accessory muscles of the anterior thoracic wall and axilla that can be encountered during breast and axillary surgery and record their incidence and clinical significance. Moreover, the laterality of the atypical muscles is highlighted and possible gender dimo...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Folia morphologica Vol. 78; no. 3; pp. 606 - 616
Main Authors:	Douvetzemis, S, Natsis, K, Piagkou, M, Kostares, M, Demesticha, T, Troupis, T
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Poland Wydawnictwo Via Medica 01-01-2019
Subjects:	Anatomy Axilla - anatomy & histology Axilla - diagnostic imaging Axilla - surgery Breast Breast - diagnostic imaging Breast - surgery Cadaver Cadavers Clinical significance Dimorphism Female Humans Literature reviews Muscle, Skeletal - anatomy & histology Muscle, Skeletal - diagnostic imaging Muscles Sternum Surgery Thoracic Wall - anatomy & histology Thoracic Wall - diagnostic imaging Thorax accessory muscle pectoralis minimus axillary arch chondrocoracoideus chondroepitrochlearis pectoralis intermedius chondrofascialis pectoralis quartus sternalis variation
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	The present study aims to summarise the accessory muscles of the anterior thoracic wall and axilla that can be encountered during breast and axillary surgery and record their incidence and clinical significance. Moreover, the laterality of the atypical muscles is highlighted and possible gender dimorphism is referred. Accessory anterior thoracic wall muscles include: Langer's axillary arch, sternalis muscle, chondrocoracoideus, chondroepitrochlearis, chondrofascialis, pectoralis minimus, pectoralis quartus and pectoralis intermedius. The anatomical, surgical and radiological literaturę has been reviewed and an anatomical study on 48 Greek adult cadavers was performed. Literature review revealed the existence of accessory muscles of the anterior thoracic wall and axilla that have a significant incidence that can be considered high and may, therefore, have clinical significance. For the most common of these muscles, which are axillary arch (Langer's) and sternalis muscle, the cadaveric incidence is 10.30% and 7.67%, respectively. In the current cadaveric study, accessory thoracic wall muscles were identified in two cadavers; namely a bilateral sternalis muscle (incidence 2.08%) extending both to the anterior and posterior surface of the sternum and a left-sided chondrocoracoideus muscle (of Wood) (incidence 2.08%). Despite the fact that accessory anterior thoracic wall and axillary muscles are considered to be rare, it is evident that the incidence of at least some of them is high enough to encounter them in clinical practice. Thus, clinicians' awareness of these anatomical structures is advisable.
ISSN:	0015-5659 1644-3284
DOI:	10.5603/FM.a2019.0005