Gracilis muscle in man

: This study is based upon the dissection of 84 gracilis muscles in 42 cadavers. It allowed to emphasize the following features: 1-The proximal insertion of the muscle is a strong tendinous lamina arising from the anterior aspect of the pubis and from the ischio-pubic branch; the distal insertion to the tibia is common to both the gracilis and the semi-tendinous muscles. 2-The distal tendon of the gracilis is tightly connected to the posterior branch of the internal saphenous nerve which crosses the muscle behind the medial femoral condyle. 3-The arterial supply (52 dissections) appears to be very rich, consisting in various pedicles entering the muscle by is lateral side. The main neurovascular bundle is issued from the profound vessels of the thigh, coming either from the adductors artery (73%), either from the medial circumflex artery (19.2%), either from both networks (7.7%). The site of penetration of the vessels in the muscle is remarkably constant. The remaining pedicles (2 to 4, one of which is quite constant at the musculotendinous junction) arise from the muscular branches of the femoral artery. 4-There is a good correlation between the measured length of the muscle and the distance between the superior aspect of the pubic arch and the medial epicondyle. A 0.37 corrective factor applied to this latter distance allows to determine the exact sit of penetration of the main neurovascular bundle in the muscle.