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. 2020 Dec;8(23):1563.
doi: 10.21037/atm-20-1466.

Variable innervation of the first dorsal interosseous muscle: an electrophysiological study

Yang Liu  1 , Jing Rui  1   2   3 , Kaiming Gao  1   3 , Jie Lao  1   2
Affiliations

Variable innervation of the first dorsal interosseous muscle: an electrophysiological study

Yang Liu et al. Ann Transl Med. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Background: The first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI) is usually innervated by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve. However, as was first noted by Sunderland in 1946, some individuals have variable innervation of the FDI. This study investigated the incidence of variable innervation of the FDI by using electrophysiological examination and further evaluated the relevance of this variation in patients with cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS).

Methods: This study included 211 patients who underwent peripheral nerve surgery in Huashan hospital, Fudan University, between October, 2012 and February, 2014. The patients were divided into three groups: the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) group, the CuTS group and the control group. During surgery, electromyography was used to determine FDI variation, and a hand function instrument was employed to estimate the pinch strength between the thumb and index finger in both hands of the CuTS patients.

Results: The electromyogram test showed that 22 of the patients enrolled had variable innervation of the FDI. Compared with the CTS group and the control group, the incidence of variable innervation of the FDI was much higher in the CuTS group (P<0.05). Patients under the age of 60 years old in the CuTS group were more likely to have the variation (P=0.043). A higher pinch strength ratio was significantly associated with variable innervation of the FDI in the CuTS patients (P=0.030).

Conclusions: Using electromyography, our study demonstrated that the variable innervation of the FDI could be innervated by the median nerve. In the CuTS patients, the higher incidence of FDI variation was possibly related to age. This variation might lead to a better prognosis for CuTS patients.

Keywords: First dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI); median nerve; ulnar nerve; variable innervation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/atm-20-1466). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The pinch strength evaluation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for predicting the incidence of variable innervation of the first dorsal interosseous muscle.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The cutoff point was 0.32; at this point, the sensitivity was 72.22% and the specificity was 72.50%.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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