Anatomic variation of the innervation of the flexor digitorum profundus muscle and its clinical implications

Abstract

In anterior interosseous nerve syndrome and ulnar neuropathy, paralysis or weakness of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) muscles has been shown to vary according to the degree of involvement of the median and ulnar nerves, respectively. We traced these nerves in 50 cadaveric specimens in which each FDP was completely separated. the specimens were classified into six anatomic and another six presumptive electromyography (EMG) types according to the innervation patterns of the entire and the proximal one-third of the FDP muscles, respectively. the diverse anatomic and presumptive EMG types in this study suggest that the FDP muscles of the 2nd to the 5th digits should be examined by functional tests and EMG in lesions of the median or ulnar nerve.