Anconeus epitrochlearis muscle resulting in cubital nerve compressive neuropathy: Two case reports

Abstract

Background: The anconeus epitrochlearis muscle is an anatomical variant prevalent in amphibians but unusual in humans. In favorable cases, this muscle provides protection to the cubital nerve but can result in neuropathy due to compression of the cubital nerve.

Case description: We present two cases with different clinical manifestations but both did not respond to conservative treatment. We opted for a surgical decompression where the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle was found intraoperatively, and the muscle fibers were dissected.

Conclusion: Considering the presence of the muscle variant is the key point to intraoperatively achieve a complete dissection of the muscle fibers of the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle variant and obtain the decompression of the cubital nerve with satisfactory postoperative results.

Keywords: Anatomical variant; Anconeus epitrochlearis muscle; Compression; Cubital nerve; Neuropathy.