UNILATERAL VARIATION OF LUMBRICALS WITH AN INCOMPLETE SUPERFICIAL PALMAR ARCH

Lumbricals as a part of intrinsic musculature of hand, are important for precise movements of digits. They perform flexion at metacarpo-phalangeal joints and extension at inter-phalangeal joints. During routine dissection of an adult male cadaver we observed a rare variation of lumbricals of the right hand. The first lumbrical was unusually arched, making a sinuous appearance instead of being linear. The other lumbricals were also showing a sinuous pattern. In addition, the second lumbrical was bipennate in origin. This variation was accompanied by an incomplete superficial palmar arch where the radial and ulnar sides of the arch were separated. Though it’s a case report but we can’t deny a role of evolution process of human being or any occupational impact for better proprioception for such a variation. Clinicians and surgeons should be aware of such variations of lumbricals and superficial palmar arch while dealing with hand surgeries.