TY - JOUR
T1 - Peripheral nerve tumors associated with Martin-Gruber anastomosis
AU - Erra, Carmen
AU - Coraci, D.
AU - De Franco, P.
AU - Granata, Giuseppe
AU - Padua, Luca
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Anomalous communications between median and ulnar nerve
in the forearm have been widely described during the years. The
most common of these anastomosis, known as Martin–Gruber
anastomosis (MGA), consists in a neural connection between median
and ulnar nerve in the forearm, usually in its proximal part,
that results in an anomalous course of the fibers innervating the
intrinsic muscles (and rarely cutaneous region) of the hand.
Its frequency, firstly described by Gruber in 1870 as 15.2% in
250 studied arms, is currently estimated through neurophysiological
and anatomical studies to range between 10% and 40%
(Amoiridis, 1992; Rodriguez-Niedenführ et al., 2002; Lee et al.,
2005). Much rarer is ulnar to median communication, known as
Marinacci communication, where fibers from the ulnar nerve cross
over to the median nerve in the forearm (Marinacci, 1964).
The knowledge of such anatomical variants is important to
explain some electrodiagnostic (EDX) findings. Moreover, its identification
is crucial for reaching a correct diagnosis and providing
information on prognosis and treatment.
We report on two patients who presented with the coexistence
of median–ulnar anastomosis and nerve tumors.
AB - Anomalous communications between median and ulnar nerve
in the forearm have been widely described during the years. The
most common of these anastomosis, known as Martin–Gruber
anastomosis (MGA), consists in a neural connection between median
and ulnar nerve in the forearm, usually in its proximal part,
that results in an anomalous course of the fibers innervating the
intrinsic muscles (and rarely cutaneous region) of the hand.
Its frequency, firstly described by Gruber in 1870 as 15.2% in
250 studied arms, is currently estimated through neurophysiological
and anatomical studies to range between 10% and 40%
(Amoiridis, 1992; Rodriguez-Niedenführ et al., 2002; Lee et al.,
2005). Much rarer is ulnar to median communication, known as
Marinacci communication, where fibers from the ulnar nerve cross
over to the median nerve in the forearm (Marinacci, 1964).
The knowledge of such anatomical variants is important to
explain some electrodiagnostic (EDX) findings. Moreover, its identification
is crucial for reaching a correct diagnosis and providing
information on prognosis and treatment.
We report on two patients who presented with the coexistence
of median–ulnar anastomosis and nerve tumors.
KW - Martin–Gruber anastomosis
KW - Peripheral nerve
KW - Peripheral nerve tumors
KW - Martin–Gruber anastomosis
KW - Peripheral nerve
KW - Peripheral nerve tumors
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/62479
U2 - 10.1016/j.clinph.2014.05.019
DO - 10.1016/j.clinph.2014.05.019
M3 - Article
SN - 1872-8952
VL - 126
SP - 428
EP - 430
JO - Clinical Neurophysiology
JF - Clinical Neurophysiology
ER -