Rare variant of psoas minor or a newly observed component of the iliopsoas muscle complex? Case report

Background: Multiple structures found in different compartments of the human body are considered as morphologically variable, however, this general assumption does not apply to the components of the iliopsoas muscle complex. In this study, we report a case of an extremely variable muscle observed in the above-mentioned compartment. Materials and methods: During a routine dissection of the posterior abdominal wall of a 78-year-old male cadaver, an anomalous muscle with an atypical morphology was observed, photographed and subjected to further measurements. Results: Although the anatomy of the dissected posterior abdominal wall structures seemed typical, a variable muscle was observed that consisted of multiple additional muscular components. Conclusions: Awareness of morphological variability was proven to be useful for clinicians from different fields of medicine. Therefore, the anomaly observed in the compartment which is considered to be rather constant seems relevant as this unknown structure may lead to further misconceptions during the process of diagnosis and treatment.