MORPHOLOGICAL AND METRIC STUDY OF THE PES ANSERINUS TENDONS IN HUMAN FETUSES

Authors

  • Otávio Vinicius Nascimento de Oliveira Physician working in the Family and Community Health Strategy at the Municipal Health Department of Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Júlio Cézar de Oliveira Filho Anesthesiology Resident Physician at São Camilo University Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, 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.
  • Iapunira Catarina Sant’Anna Aragão Physician Specialized in Internal Medicine and Postgraduate Endocrinology trainee at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), in partnership with the Luiz Capriglione State Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology (IEDE), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
  • Vera Lúcia Correa Feitosa Titular Professor of Molecular Biology, Postgraduate Program in Parasitic Biology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Danilo Ribeiro Guerra Associate Professor of Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Francisco Prado Reis Titular Professor of the Medical School, Postgraduate Program in Biosciences and Health, Tiradentes University (UNIT), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • Deise Maria Furtado de Mendonça Associate Professor of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
  • José Aderval Aragão Titular Professor of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36557/2674-8169.2026v8n2p1165-1185

Keywords:

Pes anserinus; Gracilis tendon; Semitendinosus tendon; Accessory bands; Anatomical variation; Transplants; Reconstructive surgical procedures; Orthopedics.

Abstract

Introduction: The pes anserinus corresponds to the conjoined insertion of the sartorius, gracilis, and semitendinosus muscle tendons on the anteromedial aspect of the proximal tibia. These tendons are widely used as autologous grafts in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction procedures. However, anatomical variations and insufficient knowledge of this region may contribute to surgical complications and graft harvesting failures. Objective: To provide detailed knowledge of this medial knee region in fetuses and the possible anatomical variations of the tendons to assist in reducing surgical complications. Methodology: Forty lower limbs from 20 human fetal cadavers (20 right limbs and 20 left limbs), with an average gestational age of 27.94 weeks, were dissected. Morphometric measurements of the muscle bellies and tendons forming the pes anserinus were obtained. Results: Measurement of the muscles forming the pes anserinus revealed that the sartorius muscle presented the largest mean value for the muscle belly (66.10 mm), while the semitendinosus muscle tendon demonstrated the greatest mean length (31.70 mm). In 5% of cases (n=2), a common tendinous attachment for the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles was observed. Additionally, accessory tendinous attachments were found in 52.5% (n=21) of cases, restricted to the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles. Conclusion: The detailed anatomical and morphometric data provided by this study contributes to a better understanding of the fetal development of the pes anserinus and may help reduce technical failures during the harvesting of autologous grafts in ligament reconstruction procedures.

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Author Biographies

Otávio Vinicius Nascimento de Oliveira, Physician working in the Family and Community Health Strategy at the Municipal Health Department of Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Physician working in the Family and Community Health Strategy at the Municipal Health Department of Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Júlio Cézar de Oliveira Filho, Anesthesiology Resident Physician at São Camilo University Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

 Anesthesiology Resident Physician at São Camilo University Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, 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.

Iapunira Catarina Sant’Anna Aragão, Physician Specialized in Internal Medicine and Postgraduate Endocrinology trainee at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), in partnership with the Luiz Capriglione State Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology (IEDE), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Physician Specialized in Internal Medicine and Postgraduate Endocrinology trainee at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), in partnership with the Luiz Capriglione State Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology (IEDE), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Vera Lúcia Correa Feitosa, Titular Professor of Molecular Biology, Postgraduate Program in Parasitic Biology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Titular Professor of Molecular Biology, Postgraduate Program in Parasitic Biology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Danilo Ribeiro Guerra, Associate Professor of Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Associate Professor of Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Francisco Prado Reis , Titular Professor of the Medical School, Postgraduate Program in Biosciences and Health, Tiradentes University (UNIT), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Titular Professor of the Medical School, Postgraduate Program in Biosciences and Health, Tiradentes University (UNIT), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Deise Maria Furtado de Mendonça, Associate Professor of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

Associate Professor of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.

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

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

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Published

2026-02-26

How to Cite

Nascimento de Oliveira, O. V., de Oliveira Filho, J. C., Sant’Anna Aragão, F. M., Sant’Anna Aragão, I. C., Correa Feitosa, V. L., Guerra, D. R., Reis , F. P., de Mendonça, D. M. F., & Aragão, J. A. (2026). MORPHOLOGICAL AND METRIC STUDY OF THE PES ANSERINUS TENDONS IN HUMAN FETUSES. Brazilian Journal of Implantology and Health Sciences, 8(2), 1165–1185. https://doi.org/10.36557/2674-8169.2026v8n2p1165-1185

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 2 (2026): BJIHS QUALIS B3 - FATOR DE IMPACTO SJIF 5.807 - ÍNDICE H 19

Section

Original article

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Copyright (c) 2026 Otávio Vinicius Nascimento de Oliveira, Júlio Cézar de Oliveira Filho, Felipe Matheus Sant’Anna Aragão, Iapunira Catarina Sant’Anna Aragão, Vera Lúcia Correa Feitosa, Danilo Ribeiro Guerra, Francisco Prado Reis , Deise Maria Furtado de Mendonça, José Aderval Aragão

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