Duplicated Palmaris Longus Muscle With Insertion Onto The Transverse Carpal Ligament: A Case Report

The palmaris longus muscle is one of the most anatomically variable muscles in the human body, with incidence ranging from 0-63.9%.  While these anatomical variations are typically benign, they are of clinical importance as they can contribute to neurovascular and biomechanical dysfunction.  We report here a duplicated palmaris longus muscle with an insertion onto the transverse carpal ligament found during cadaveric dissection in a graduate anatomy course for physical and occupational therapy students.&nbsp

A Communicating Branch Between the Musculocutaneous Nerve and the Median Nerve: A Case Report

Anatomical variations of peripheral nerves are commonly reported in the literature.  While typically benign, they are of clinical importance as they can contribute to atypical clinical presentations, cause difficulty with imaging and nerve conduction studies, and lead to surgical challenges for surgeons.  We report here a communicating branch between the musculocutaneous nerve and median nerve found during cadaveric dissection in a Doctor of Nursing Practice course in the Department of Nurse Anesthesia at Samford University.  Although the case described here is among the most common anatomical variations of the peripheral nerves, there are classification systems for this variation that need to be recognized and applied by anatomists, clinicians, and surgeons

Bilateral Long Head of the Triceps Brachii Muscle Innervation via Axillary Nerve: A Case Report

The radial nerve has traditionally been considered the innervation of the long head of the triceps brachii (LHT). However, cadaveric studies have discovered LHT innervation via the axillary nerve in roughly 6-15 % of shoulders. A cadaver with exclusive axillary nerve innervation to the LHT bilaterally was discovered during cadaveric dissection in a graduate course at Samford University. This anatomical variation may have clinical implications for surgeries, shoulder dislocations, and quadrilateral space syndrome. Axillary nerve injuries may additionally present with shoulder extension and elbow extension weakness if this variation is present.&nbsp

Treatment of insomnia in veterans with trauma-related disorders: a brief group cognitive-behavioral intervention

Estimates of insomnia prevalence among people with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) range from 40% to 87%. Initial research findings suggest that PTSD treatments, without targeted insomnia interventions, do not appear to address sleep disruption sufficiently. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) has shown promising effectiveness in PTSD populations. The current study evaluated CBT-I with a brief group treatment approach, which is consistent with the model of care most commonly implemented by Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers. Participants were veterans with trauma-related disorders recruited from two VA Medical Centers. Random assignment was used to divide participants between a CBT-I group and a treatment-as-usual waitlist control group. Participants in the CBT-I group received four 60-minute weekly group sessions. The CBT-I treatment included stimulus control, sleep hygiene instructions, passive muscle relaxation, and sleep education. Validated measures of sleep and daytime functioning were used to evaluate treatment effects. Data from 65 participants were evaluated using mixed design repeated measures analyses. The results showed that participants who received the CBT-I intervention had greater improvements in sleep efficiency as measured by a sleep diary than participants in the waitlist control group. Sleep questionnaire data and daytime functioning outcomes did not differ significantly between the treatment and waitlist groups. Problems related to participant attrition and missing data were limitations in this study. Implications for future research and clinical implementation of insomnia treatment with veterans are discussed. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

Additional Tendon Slip of the Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus: A Case Report with Clinical Application

Additional tendon slips of the extensor carpi radialis longus are rare anatomical variants, with incidence ranging from 12-35%.  While this anatomical variant is typically benign, it is clinically important as it can contribute to neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction.  Medical providers should be aware of variations of the wrist extensors during surgeries involving the forearm and wrist.  The presence of additional tendons may cause confusion when interpreting imaging findings.  This case report details findings of an additional wrist extensor tendon identified during a cadaveric dissection lab in a physical therapist education program.&nbsp