A newly discovered membrane at the origin of the proximal tendinous complex of the rectus femoris

Purpose: The rectus femoris (RF) forms the anterior portion of the quadriceps muscle group. It has a proximal tendinous complex (PTC) which is constituted by a direct tendon (DT), an indirect tendon (IT), and a variable third head. Direct and indirect tendons finally converge into a common tendon (C...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Mechó, Sandra|||0000-0002-2954-2116, Iriarte, Iñigo, Pruna, Ricard|||0000-0001-5823-4326, Pérez-Andrés, Ricardo|||0000-0002-1722-9958, Rodríguez Baeza, Alfonso|||0000-0002-9181-5613
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:259767
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/259767
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1007/s00276-022-02954-3
Access Level:acceso abierto
Descripción
Sumario:Purpose: The rectus femoris (RF) forms the anterior portion of the quadriceps muscle group. It has a proximal tendinous complex (PTC) which is constituted by a direct tendon (DT), an indirect tendon (IT), and a variable third head. Direct and indirect tendons finally converge into a common tendon (CT). All the PTC shows a medially sloping in its proximal insertion.We investigated several anatomical specimens and discovered a new component: a membrane connecting the CT with the anterior superior iliac spine. Such membrane constitutes a new origin of the PTC. The aim of this study was to clarify whether this membrane was an anatomical variation of the PTC or a constant structure and to describe its morphology and trajectory. Material and methods: We dissected 42 cadaveric lower limbs and examined the architecture of the PTC. We paid special attention to the morphology and interaction patterns between the tendons and the membrane. Results: We demonstrated that the membrane is a constant component of the PTC. It has a lateral to medial trajectory and is in relation to the common tendon, the DT, and IT, which present a medial slope. This suggests that the membrane has an stabilizer role for the PTC, acting as a corrector of the inclined vector of the complex. Conclusion: The RF injuries are frequent in football. The newly discovered membrane is a constant component of the PTC and its integrity should be included in the algorithm to diagnose injuries.