Flexor digitorum longus accessorius in the club foot of an infant with Nager syndrome

The Association between Anatomical Variants of Musculoskeletal Structures and Nerve Compressions of the Lower Limb: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the main anatomical variants and morphofunctional alterations in the lower limb that compress surrounding nervous structures in the gluteal region, thigh region, and leg and foot region. Methods: We searched the Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and LILACS databases from their inception up to October 2023. An assurance tool for anatomical studies (AQUA) was used to evaluate methodological quality, and the Joanna Briggs Institute assessment tool for case reports was also used. Forest plots were generated to assess the prevalence of variants of the gluteal region, thigh, and leg. Results: According to the forest plot of the gluteal region, the prevalence was 0.18 (0.14-0.23), with a heterogeneity of 93.52%. For the thigh region, the forest plot presented a prevalence of 0.10 (0.03-0.17) and a heterogeneity of 91.18%. The forest plot of the leg region was based on seven studies, which presented a prevalence of 0.01 (0.01-0.01) and a heterogeneity of 96.18%. Conclusions: This review and meta-analysis showed that, in studies that analyzed nerve compressions, the prevalence was low in the thigh and leg regions, while in the gluteal region, it was slightly higher. This is mainly due to the PM region and its different variants. We believe that it is important to analyze all the variant regions defined in this study and that surgeons treating the lower limb should be attentive to these possible scenarios so that they can anticipate possible surgical situations and thus avoid surgical complications.

Flexor digitorum accessorius longus muscle in resistant clubfoot patients: introduction of a new sign predicting its presence

Clubfoot, talipes equino varus (TEV), is a common congenital foot anomaly. Some cases are resistant to conservative treatment. Many causes of resistance have been reported, among these, the presence of anomalous muscles; however, the effect of the presence of anomalous muscles on the outcome of conservative management is not well studied. These aberrant muscles are discovered during the extensive surgical release as an abnormal finding. The aim of this work is to study the demographic characteristics of patients with resistant TEV that necessitated extensive soft tissue release at Sudan Clubfoot Clinic and to document the prevalence of flexor digitorum accessorius longus (FDAL) muscle in a large series of clubfoot patients treated by extensive surgery: posteromedial release. Also, we introduce a new observation as an indication by which the surgeon can predict the presence of FDAL. On the basis of an observation that there is a special posture of the big toe in extension in relation to other flexed toes associated with the presence of FDAL, records of patients of clubfoot treated by extensive surgery between 2007 and 2012 at the Sudan Clubfoot Project were reviewed. Demographic characteristics were studied. Only patients with idiopathic TEV were included. Resistant clubfeet necessitated extensive release in 261 patients, 197 males and 64 females. Their ages ranged between 1 day and 15 years at presentation. FDAL muscle was found in 48 patients (54 feet) out of 261 patients (411 feet, 13.14%). In 46 of the 48 patients (95.8%), the presence of the FDAL could be predicted by a sign. FDAL is prevalent in 13% of resistant TEV cases requiring extensive soft tissue release, and the surgeon can expect resistant clubfoot and predict the presence of the FDAL in over 95% before he operates by observing the Samir-Adam sign.

An unusual aberrant muscle in congenital clubfoot: an intraoperative finding

Congenital clubfoot is a common congenital deformity, characterized by equinus of the hindfoot and adduction of the midfoot and forefoot, with varus through the subtalar joint complex. A cavus deformity will also be present. The etiology of this congenital deformity remains elusive. Muscle anomalies are not commonly found in patients with idiopathic clubfoot, and, when present, their significance is not clear. The presence of a flexor digitorum accessorius longus muscle and an accessory soleus muscle found at surgical correction of clubfoot deformity has been previously reported. Our case was a female child, aged 2 years, 3 months, who developed bilateral relapsed congenital clubfoot. She was found to have an unusual aberrant muscle in both legs. This was discovered accidentally during surgical correction of her deformity through posteromedial soft tissue release. This muscle might have contributed to the hindfoot varus and equinus in the clubfoot deformity, because the latter were completely corrected after release of the muscle from its insertion. Awareness of such a new anatomic variant, with the other anatomic variants found in clubfoot deformity, will not only improve our understanding of normal lower limb development, but could also lead to improved genetic counseling and diagnostic and treatment methods of such a common congenital deformity.

Craniofacial Structures and Dental Development in Three Patients With Nager Syndrome

In Finland, 3 patients have been diagnosed with Nager syndrome (NS) during the last 17 years. Thus the incidence for NS in Finland is 3:1,000,000. The craniofacial structures and dental development of these patients were studied clinically and radiographically at the age of 3-4 years, and compared to age-matched controls and to the norms of the Finnish population. The striking structural finding was a severely short, retrognathic and posteriorly rotated mandible. Especially the ramus was deficient; its height was, on average, less than one-third of that of the control group. All children were tracheostomized neonatally. At the age of 3-4, the lower pharyngeal airway was still severely obstructed or completely closed. Nasopharyngeal airway was wide and the soft palate was missing in all patients. All patients had a complete deciduous dentition, but agenesis of permanent teeth (ranging from 2-10 missing teeth) was observed in each patient. Accelerated dental development was found in two subjects. Condylar ankylosis or severely limited mouth opening were observed. The present findings give new information and quantify earlier observations of craniofacial structures and dental development in NS. Analysis of facial structures suggests that if surgical intervention is needed to enable better breathing, the goal of the structural correction should be aimed at the most deficient structure, namely the ramus height. As a result of severe dentofacial deviation, a treatment process through the growth requires multidisciplinary teamwork of surgeons, pediatrists, orthodontists and prosthodontists.

Flexor digitorum accessorius longus muscle is associated with familial idiopathic clubfoot

The etiology of idiopathic and familial clubfoot remains elusive. The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of the flexor digitorum accessorius longus muscle in a large series of children treated with an extensive soft tissue release for idiopathic clubfoot deformity and compare those patients with and without this anomalous muscle in terms of various demographic data, including a positive family history of clubfoot. A retrospective review was conducted to identify infants treated with an extensive soft tissue release for idiopathic clubfoot deformity at the authors' institutions between 1980 and 2000. Patient characteristics and family demographic data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis modeling the probability of having the anomalous flexor muscle. A flexor digitorum accessorius longus muscle was identified in 55 (6.6%) of the 835 patients at the time of surgical correction of the clubfoot deformity. It was present in 4.5% of patients without a family history (33/741) and 23.4% of patients with a family history (22/94) (P < 0.0001). Children with first-degree relatives with clubfoot are 6.6 times more likely to have the anomalous flexor muscle than children without first-degree relatives with clubfoot (odds ratio 6.6; 95% confidence interval 3.63-11.84; P < 0.0001).

Acrofacial dysostosis (AFD) with preaxial limb hypoplasia (Nager AFD) and club foot diagnosed in a fetus from 1812 in the anatomical collections at the University of Halle, Germany

The Anatomical Collections of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Halle, Germany, comprise more than 8,000 specimens, about 600 of them congenital anomalies. The collection of abnormal human and animal specimens began with the private collections of Johann Friedrich Meckel the Elder (1724-1774), his son Philipp Friedrich Theodor Meckel (1755-1803), and his grandson Johann Friedrich Meckel the Younger (1781-1833). Meckel the Younger founded the science of developmental pathology in Germany. Radiographical techniques, computer tomographic methods (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and molecular cytogenetic techniques, for example, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) were used to diagnose abnormal human fetuses in the Meckel Collection. On examination of one of the human fetuses, originally described by JF Meckel the Younger in 1812 or earlier, we found striking clinical manifestations including mandibulofacial defects and preaxially malformed limbs. With respect to external findings, we propose that the condition is acrofacial dysostosis (AFD) with preaxial limb hypoplasia (Nager AFD) in combination with club foot, tibial torsion, and single umbilical artery. We used genetic analyses to test whether the observed limb malformations could be caused by aneuploidy. CGH-ratio profiles of all chromosomes were apparently normal. It is likely that Meckel's specimen is the earliest known fetus with Nager AFD.