A case of bilateral persistent median artery associated with a rightsided duplicate palmaris longus muscle

We present a rare case of the simultaneous presence of bilateral persistent median artery and right-sided duplicate palmaris longus identified in a 72-year-old Caucasian male cadaver during routine anatomical dissection at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Both persistent median arteries were located in a fibrous sheath accompanying the median nerve through the carpal tunnel. They originated as a branch of the ulnar artery and anastomosed with the superficial palmar arch in the hand. In addition to a normal palmaris longus muscle with usual attachments, a duplicate muscle was examined ulnar to the typical, originating at the common flexor tendon of the medial epicondyle of the humerus, and distally attaching to the flexor retinaculum. This case has clinical relevance for surgical management of carpal tunnel syndrome and tendon graft procedures.