Incidence of Psoas Minor Muscle in Nnewi, South-East Nigeria

Abstract

The psoas minor [P. minor] muscle is one of the paired muscles of the posterior abdominal wall. It arises with the highest fibres of psoas major from T12-L1 vertebrae and the intervertebral disc. It inserts by a long tendon at or near the iliopubic eminence and iliac fascia. Various authors describe different percentage incidences and differing modes of insertion. Some authors add it only as a footnote while some quote it just as not always present and some stated that it is unimportant. We decided to document its incidence and characteristics in our environment. We found psoas minor muscle in only one cadaver out of twenty (20) cadavers dissected over a two-year period, October 2003 to September 2005. This gives only a five percent (5%) incidence as against 40 %-60% quoted in most literature. In this cadaver, we also discovered that its development was different on the two sides.