Structural Anatomy
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/29943
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Browsing Structural Anatomy by Author "Blackwood, Taylor"
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Item Levator Glandulae Thyroideae(2020) Fisher, Cara; Laborde, Alfred; Blackwood, TaylorBackground: Levator Glandulae Thyroideae (LGT) is an accessory fibromuscular band that originates from the hyoid bone and inserts on the thyroid gland. It is an embryological remnant of contested origin and functions in elevation of the thyroid gland. The incidence of LGT is suggested to be approximately 1 in 6. Case Information: During routine dissection of a 70-year-old African American male cadaver a midline Levator Glandulae Thyroideae muscle was discovered which contained glandular tissue of the pyramidal lobe of the thyroid. The muscle fibers originated from the left side of the hyoid bone and passed superficially over the thyroid cartilage with insertion into the right side of the thyroid gland. Upon deeper dissection, it was noted that the LGT created a permanent indentation within the left aspect of the thyroid cartilage notch. This cadaver was noted to also have an anatomical variation in his neck region with his left external jugular vein coursing superficially to the clavicle. The cause of death is suspected to be unrelated and was noted to be metastatic esophageal carcinoma. Conclusions: Variations in cervical anatomy are common and knowledge of these variants is critical for surgeons to achieve quality patient outcomes. Clinicians using ultrasonography and CT imaging should be aware of the LGT to prevent a misdiagnosis of tumor or thyroglossal duct infection. While further study is needed to determine the embryological origin of the LGT, we postulate that the impression in the thyroid cartilage will help anatomists discover those details.Item Unilateral Soleus Hypertrophy in Case of Severe Varicose Veins(2020) Blackwood, Taylor; Fisher, Cara; Ames, KyleBackground: Efficient transport of blood and lymph relies on competent intraluminal valves that ensure unidirectional fluid flow through the vessels. Dysfunction of venous valves is associated with venous hypertension, varicose veins, venous stasis, and thrombosis that can lead to edema and ulcerations. If valves in the perforator veins are incompetent, the high pressures generated in deep veins by calf-muscle contraction can be transmitted to the superficial system, and to the microcirculation in skin, creating ambulatory venous hypertension. In situations where varicose veins coexist with deep vein incompetence, our team postulates that the increased pressure in the superficial veins and perforator veins can lead to a compensation by the lower extremity musculature to overcome the pressure load, leading to hypertrophy of that musculature. Case Information: During routine dissection of a 67-year-old Caucasian female cadaver, a unilateral hypertrophied right soleus muscle was discovered. In the present case, this manifested with severe varicose veins on the same side of the cadaver as the hypertrophied right soleus muscle. Conclusions: Unilateral hypertrophy associated with varicose veins is sparsely recognized or reported and the association should be further explored. The practicing clinician should be aware of the possibility of unilateral calf muscle hypertrophy resulting from varicose veins when working up deep venous thrombosis or unilateral peripheral edema. Recognizing this association could help to prevent delay in diagnosis and reduce unnecessary testing. Various treatments for varicose veins are wide ranging and include compression stockings, sclerotherapy, venoactive drugs, thermal ablation, and surgical interventions.