Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Morphometric variability of pyramidalis muscle and its clinical significance

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The goal of the study is to analyze the morphometric diversity of the pyramidalis muscle (PM) and to evaluate how it is affected by gender and side of occurrence.

Materials and methods

Ninety-six (50 male and 46 female) formalin-embalmed Greek cadavers were dissected.

Results

The PM was present in 93.8 %, usually bilaterally (79.2 %) than unilaterally (14.6 %) (p = 0.003) and more frequently in females (91.3 %) than in males (68 %) (p = 0.0001). Side symmetry was detected. The mean length of PM in males and females was 8.37 ± 2.80 and 6.18 ± 1.64 cm on the right and 7.50 ± 2.66 and 6.56 ± 1.68 cm on the left side. Male predominance existed on the right and left-sided PM lengths (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.054). The mean width of the right-sided PMs in males and females was 1.61 ± 0.55 and 1.50 ± 0.44 cm and the left-sided 1.56 ± 0.53 and 1.55 ± 0.38 cm without gender dimorphism. The positive correlation between the PM length and width indicates a symmetrical muscle augmentation on the two dimensions.

Conclusions

The study demonstrates that the PM is almost constant in Greeks. Among populations the muscle morphometric variability, its clinical significance and its variable uses will help surgeons when intervening in the lower abdominal wall.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adachi B (1909) Beiträge zur Anatomie der Japaner XII. Die Statistik der Muskelvarietäten. Zeitschr Morphol Anthropol 2:261–312

    Google Scholar 

  2. Anson BJ, Beaton LE, McVay CC (1938) The pyramidalis muscle. Anat Rec 72:405–411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ashley-Montagu MF (1939) Anthropological significance of the musculus pyramidalis and its variability in man. Am J Physical Anthopol 15:435–490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Attinger CE, Ducic I, Cooper P, Zelen CM (2002) The role of intrinsic muscle flaps of the foot for bone coverage in foot and ankle defects in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Plast Reconstr Surg 110:1047–1057

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Beaton LE, Anson BJ (1939) The pyramidalis muscle: its occurrence and size in American whites and Negroes. Am J Phys Anthropol 25:261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Chouke KS (1935) The constitution of the sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle. Anat Rec 61:341–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Chudzinski T (1898) Observations sur les variations musculaires dans les races humaines. Mem Soc Anthrop, Paris XI, pp 1–223

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cruveilhier J (1880) Traite d’Anatomie descriptive II, Paris, p 8

  9. Czeckanowski J (1906) Zur Frage der Correlationen der Muskelvarietaten. Boas Anniv 45:43–54

  10. Dickson MJ (1999) The pyramidalis muscle. J Obstet Gynaecol 19:300

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Didia B, Loveday O, Christian I (2009) Variation and frequency of agenesis of the pyramidalis muscles in Nigerian males. J Exp, Clin Anat 8

    Google Scholar 

  12. Dwight T (1893) Observations on the psoas parvus and pyramidalis. A study on variation. Proc Am Phil Soc 31:117–123

    Google Scholar 

  13. Garvey JF (2012) Computed tomography scan diagnosis of occult groin hernia. Hernia 16:307–314

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Goss CM (1948) Fasciae and muscles of the abdomen. Gray’s anatomy, 29th edn. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, pp 424–427

    Google Scholar 

  15. Gürbüz-Malcic J, Özdoğmuş O, Yüksel M (2001) Unusual rectus abdominis and pyramidalis muscles: clinical significance—a case report. MMJ 14:107–109

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hinoul P, Roovers JP, Ombelet W et al (2009) Surgical management of urinary stress incontinence in women: a historical and clinical overview. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 145:219–225

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Jurascheck F, Dollfus P, Chapuis A et al (1987) Surgical treatment of the static perineal modifications in spinal cord or cauda equina lesions. Paraplegia 25:475–481

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Jyothilakshmi TK, Sarala HS, Gautham BV (2013) Anatomical significance of the nerve to pyramidalis muscle: a case report. Anatomica Karnataka 7:41–44

    Google Scholar 

  19. Koganei Y, Arai H, Shikinami J (1903) Varietatenstatistik der musculn. Tokyo Igakkai Zasshi 17:127–139 (in Japanese with German abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Koulouris G (2008) Imaging review of groin pain in elite athletes: an anatomic approach to imaging findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol 191:962–972

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. LeDouble AF (1897) Traité des Variations du Système Musculaire de l’Homme et Leur Signification au Point de vue de l’Anthropologie Zoologique. Libraire C. Reinwald, Scheicher Frères, Paris, pp 583–587

    Google Scholar 

  22. Loth E (1912) Beiträge zur Anthropologie die Negerweichteile (Muskelsystem), Stuttgart, p 98–99

  23. Lovering RM, Anderson LD (2008) Architecture and fiber type of the pyramidalis muscle. Anat Sci Int 83:294–297

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Monkhouse WS, Khalique A (1986) Variations in the composition of the human rectus sheath: a study of the anterior abdominal wall. J Anat 145:61–66

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Nakamura S (1935) Ueber den M. rectus abdominis und den M. pyramidalis der Japaner (am Kynahu). J Kumamoto Med Soc 11:1251–1261

    Google Scholar 

  26. Nakano T (1923) Beiträge zur Anatomie die Chinesen. Die Statistik des Muskelvarietäten. Okajimas’ Folia Anat Jap 1:273–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Natsis K, Repousi E, Noussios G et al (2014) The styloid process in a Greek population: an anatomical study with clinical implications. Anat Sci Int 90:67–74

  28. Schwalbe G, Pffitzner W (1889) Variet Statistik und Anthropologie. Anat Anz 4:705–714

  29. Sippo WC, Gomez AC (1987) Nerve-entrapment from lower abdominal surgery. J Fam Pract 25:585–587

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Sumino Y, Hirata Y, Hanada M et al (2011) Long-term cryopreservation of pyramidalis muscle specimens as a source of striated muscle stem cells for treatment of post-prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence. Prostate 71:1225–1230

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Thomson A (1895) Fifth annual report of the committee of collective investigation of the anatomical society of Great Britain and Ireland for the year 1893-94. J Anat Physiol. 35-60

  32. Tokita K (2006) Anatomical significance of the nerve to the pyramidalis muscle: a morphological study. Anat Sci Int 81:210–224

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Vallois HV (1926) Valeur et signification du muscle pyramidal de l’abdomen. Arch Anat Histol Embryol 5:497–525

    Google Scholar 

  34. Van Landuyt K, Hamdi M, Blondeel Ph et al (2003) The pyramidalis muscle free flap. Br J Plast Surg 56:585–592

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Winslow M (1875) Exposition Anatomique de la Structure du Corps Humain. T. IV, Paris, p 45

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Post Box 300, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Konstantinos Natsis & Stylianos Apostolidis

  2. Department of Anatomy, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, M. Asias 75, 11527, Athens, Greece

    Maria Piagkou, Elpida Repousi, Evangelos Kotsiomitis, Konstantinos Apostolou & Panajiotis Skandalakis

Authors
  1. Konstantinos Natsis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria Piagkou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Elpida Repousi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stylianos Apostolidis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Evangelos Kotsiomitis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Konstantinos Apostolou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Panajiotis Skandalakis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Piagkou.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Natsis, K., Piagkou, M., Repousi, E. et al. Morphometric variability of pyramidalis muscle and its clinical significance. Surg Radiol Anat 38, 285–292 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-015-1550-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-015-1550-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation