Abstract :

Articularis genu is a vestigial muscle considered as the 5^th part of the quadriceps. This is represented as the detached fibre bundles from the vastus intermedius. Morphologically the muscle is flat, thin, wispy. It shows highly variable attachments taking origin from the lower 1/4^th of anterior surface area of the femoral shaft. Articularis genu may be considered as 5^th head of quadriceps femoris. The variant morphology of the muscle may prevent incidental removal during total knee replacement, investigating osteoarthritis and so more.

 

---

Keywords :

Articularis genu, Quadriceps femoris, Wispy.

---

References :

1. Sakuma E, Sasaki Y, Yamada N, Wada I, Soji T. Morphological characteristics of the deep layer of articularis genus muscle. Folia Morphologica. 2014;73(3):309-13.
2. Grob K, Gilbey H, Manestar M, Ackland T, Kuster MS. The anatomy of the articularis genus muscle and its relation to the extensor apparatus of the knee. JBJS Open Access. 2017 Dec 12;2(4).
3. KOBAYASHI, H.; TAKANO, Y.; YURI, T.; YOSHIDA, S.; SUZUKI, K.; KIYOSHIGE, Y. & NAITO, A. Morphological analysis of articularis genus and involvement in muscle synchronicity with vastus intermedius. Int. J. Morphol., 36(3):859-863, 2018
4. Caterson J, Williams MA, McCarthy C, Athanasou N, Temple HT, Cosker T, Gibbons M. The articularis genu muscle and its relevance in oncological surgical margins. Bone Jt Open. 2020 Sep 24;1(9):585-593. doi: 10.1302/2633-1462.19.BJO-2020-0113.R1. PMID: 33215156; PMCID: PMC7659671.
5. Cruz Ayala, J.A., Crawford, M., Gatterer, M.C. et al.Using the articularis genu to test peri-articular muscle health during knee osteoarthritis. Sci Rep 12, 12896 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17046-w