BILATERAL ACCESSORY FASCICLE OF THE ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT IN A HUMAN FETUS: AN ANATOMICAL VARIANT DISTINCT FROM THE CLASSICAL ACL BUNDLES

Autores

  • André Elias Rezende Santos Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Giovanna de Oliveira Sá Costa Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Akires Matheus Gomes Santos Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Enzo Souza Santos Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Wallance Geovane Alexandre Lima Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Henrique Montalvão Routman da Cunha Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Adler Oliveira Silva Jacó Carvalho Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Paulo Matheus Santos de Oliveira Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Guilherme Barreto de Oliveira Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Lucas Cardoso Garcia Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Catherine Makena Oliveira de Jesus Rodrigues Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Felipe Matheus Sant’Anna Aragão Cardiology Resident at the Heart Institute of the Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (INCOR), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
  • Vera Lúcia Corrêa Feitosa Titular Professor of Molecular Biology of Federal University of Sergipe
  • Francisco Prado Reis Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Tiradentes University
  • José Aderval Aragão Titular Professor of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36557/2674-8169.2026v8n8p1345-1359

Palavras-chave:

Ligamento Cruzado Anterior; Variação Anatômica; Fascículo Acessório; Desenvolvimento Fetal; Articulação do Joelho.

Resumo

Introduction: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) exhibits variable fascicular organization and is classically described as comprising two or three functional bundles. However, anatomically independent fascicles distinct from the main ligament are exceptionally rare. Objective: To describe a bilateral anatomical variant of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) characterized by the presence of an anatomically independent accessory fascicle in a human fetus, detailing its morphological and morphometric features and discussing its potential embryological, radiological, and surgical implications. Case Report: During routine anatomical dissection of a 32-week-old male fetus, a bilateral accessory fascicle of the ACL was identified. On both sides, the fascicle had a distinct femoral origin, remained anatomically separate from the main ACL along most of its course, and merged with it only near the tibial insertion. On the left, the accessory fascicle measured 3.88 mm in length and exhibited a funnel-shaped morphology; on the right, it measured 3.80 mm and displayed a triangular configuration. The remaining intra-articular structures showed normal and symmetrical anatomy. Conclusion: This finding represents a rare anatomical variant that is conceptually distinct from the classical fascicular subdivisions of the ACL. Its bilateral occurrence suggests a possible origin related to early mesenchymal development. Recognition of this configuration may broaden current understanding of ACL morphological diversity and may be relevant to imaging interpretation and surgical planning for ligament reconstruction.

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Biografia do Autor

André Elias Rezende Santos, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Giovanna de Oliveira Sá Costa, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Akires Matheus Gomes Santos, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Enzo Souza Santos, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Wallance Geovane Alexandre Lima, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Henrique Montalvão Routman da Cunha, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Adler Oliveira Silva Jacó Carvalho, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Paulo Matheus Santos de Oliveira, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Guilherme Barreto de Oliveira, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Lucas Cardoso Garcia, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Catherine Makena Oliveira de Jesus Rodrigues, Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Felipe Matheus Sant’Anna Aragão, Cardiology Resident at the Heart Institute of the Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (INCOR), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Cardiology Resident at the Heart Institute of the Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (INCOR), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Vera Lúcia Corrêa Feitosa, Titular Professor of Molecular Biology of Federal University of Sergipe

Titular Professor of Molecular Biology of Federal University of Sergipe

Francisco Prado Reis, Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Tiradentes University

Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Tiradentes University

José Aderval Aragão, Titular Professor of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Titular Professor of Clinical Anatomy of Department of Morphology

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Publicado

2026-08-24

Como Citar

Rezende Santos, A. E., Sá Costa, G. de O., Gomes Santos, A. M., Souza Santos, E., Alexandre Lima, W. G., Routman da Cunha, H. M., Jacó Carvalho, A. O. S., Santos de Oliveira, P. M., Barreto de Oliveira, G., Cardoso Garcia, L., Oliveira de Jesus Rodrigues, C. M., Sant’Anna Aragão, F. M., Corrêa Feitosa, V. L., Prado Reis, F., & Aragão, J. A. (2026). BILATERAL ACCESSORY FASCICLE OF THE ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT IN A HUMAN FETUS: AN ANATOMICAL VARIANT DISTINCT FROM THE CLASSICAL ACL BUNDLES. Brazilian Journal of Implantology and Health Sciences, 8(8), 1345–1359. https://doi.org/10.36557/2674-8169.2026v8n8p1345-1359

Edição

v. 8 n. 8 (2026): BJIHS QUALIS B3 - FATOR DE IMPACTO SJIF 5.807 - ÍNDICE H 19

Seção

Estudo de Caso

Licença

Copyright (c) 2026 André Elias Rezende Santos, Giovanna de Oliveira Sá Costa, Akires Matheus Gomes Santos, Enzo Souza Santos, Wallance Geovane Alexandre Lima, Henrique Montalvão Routman da Cunha, Adler Oliveira Silva Jacó Carvalho, Paulo Matheus Santos de Oliveira, Guilherme Barreto de Oliveira, Lucas Cardoso Garcia, Catherine Makena Oliveira de Jesus Rodrigues, Felipe Matheus Sant’Anna Aragão, Vera Lúcia Corrêa Feitosa, Francisco Prado Reis, José Aderval Aragão

Creative Commons License
Este trabalho está licenciado sob uma licença Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Os autores são detentores dos direitos autorais mediante uma licença CCBY 4.0.