An assessment of the variation of the intramuscular innervation of the gracilis muscle, with the aim of determining its neuromuscular compartments

Some muscles present neuromuscular compartments, one of which is the gracilis muscle. The aim of the present study is to determine the number of compartments present within the gracilis muscle based on its intramuscular innervation patterns; such knowledge could be of value in free functional muscle transfer. The study comprised 72 gracilis muscles (38 women, 34 men), fixed in 10% formalin solution. The muscles were removed and then stained using Sihler's method. When sufficient transparency was achieved, some measurements were made. Three different types of intramuscular innervation were distinguished. Type I (70.8%) was featured by at least one direct proximal nerve branch. Type II (23.6%) presented at least one indirect proximal nerve branch. Type III (5.6%) did not possess any proximal nerve branch. The median of descended nerve branches was five. Considerable anatomical variation is possible within the intramuscular innervation of the gracilis muscle. The muscle presents neuromuscular compartments, but the exact number depends on the type of its intramuscular innervation and the number of the main descendent nerve branches. All three types seem to be appropriate for free functional muscle transfer. Our findings may be of great value for surgeons carrying out complex reconstructions with the use of the gracilis muscle.