Unilateral Variation in Extensor digitorum longus muscle.

During a routine dissection of an adult embalmed male cadaver for educational purpose in the department of anatomy at AIIMS, New Delhi, India, a rare unilateral variation of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) was found which is a muscle of anterior compartment of the leg. There was a split tendon of EDL muscle in the anterior compartment of left leg which became a common tendon in front of the ankle joint. This common tendon of EDL muscle again divided into four slips and were inserted in to the lateral four toes. In the upper part of the leg, the anterior tibial vessel and deep fibular nerve lie between the EDL and tibialis anterior. Knowledge of this type of anomaly is useful in diagnosis and treatment of compartmental syndrome. One of the tendon from the split tendon of EDL muscle can be used as a graft in tendon replacement surgeries. The split tendon may also be capable for some precise movements of the toes.