Abstract

OLAVE, E; BINVIGNAT, O; SOTO, A  and  CABEZAS, J. J. Sesamoid Bones in the Human Hand. Int. J. Morphol. [online]. 2014, vol.32, n.1, pp.49-53. ISSN 0717-9502.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-95022014000100009.

Sesamoid bones develop in certain tendons or thickness of the fibrous capsule which surrounds certain joints. The prevalence and distribution of sesamoid bones in the hand is variable among different populations and ethnic groups. Based on this premise we conducted a study to determine its presence in different metacarpophalangeal joints (MPJ) of two groups of individuals. We analyzed 34 radiographs of adult hands, Chileans, of both sexes, and 19 radiographs belonging to the hands of children and adolescents. Radiographs of 41 hands of adult Brazilians people, of both sexes, as well as radiographs of 16 children and adolescents were also studied. In each observation we consider the number of sesamoid bones and their location. In the group of Chilean individuals, we observed the presence of two sesamoid bones, located at the level of MPJ thumb in 94.1% of cases; 44.1% had one sesamoid bone in the radial side of MPJ of the index finger. At the level of the MPJ of the little finger, one sesamoid bone was observed in 11.8%. An analysis of 19 radiographs of the hands of children and adolescents, in 42% of the cases we found sesamoid bones at MPJ of the thumb. In the group of Brazilian individuals, we observed that all hands had sesamoid bones at the level of MPJ of the thumb; 90.2% had two bones. In 17.1% one sesamoid bone at the ulnar side of the interphalangeal joint of the thumb was found. In 26.8% one sesamoid bone in the radial part of the MPJ of the index finger and the same percentage in the radial side of the MPJ of the little finger was observed. We not observed such bones in the radiographs of the hands of children and young Brazilians. The data provided are evidence of differences between populations and ethnic groups.

Keywords : Anatomy; Hand; Sesamoid bones.

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