Caput Tertium Gastrocnemius: A Case Report
1059-1061
Correspondence
Dr. Rajan Kumar Singla 79, S.G. Enclave, Majitha Road, Amritsar -143001, Punjab, India. Phone: 9872477073, 08146669505 E-mail: rajananat@gmail.com Financial OR OTHER COMPETING
Introduction:
Caput tertium gastrocnemius is a rare but clinically important entity, as it may lead to the conditions of intermittent claudication, arterial stasis and aneurysm, venous stasis and impaired nerve function. In the recent years, it has gained more significance due to the advent of sports and the high stakes which are involved in this area. More cases of young athletes with popliteal artery entrapment are being seen. An early diagnosis is of great importance in order to avoid vascular complications and to aid in the early rehabilitation of the athletes.
Materials and Methods: The material comprised of the left lower limb of a male cadaver of approximately 50 years of age, which was dissected during the routine undergraduate dissection by the usual method of dissection.
Results: A third head of the gastrocnemius was found to arise from the popliteal surface of the femur and the lower half of the medial supracondylar ridge. It passed superficial to the popliteal vessels and joined the medial head of the gastrocnemius. The two heads (the third and the medial) seemed to form a constricting circle around the popliteal vessels, putting the same even in more danger of entrapment.
Ontogeny: Such muscular variations may be due to our genetic composition, errors of the developmental timings or the persistence of some embryological conditions.