The Prevalence of the Palmaris Longus Agenesis: A Study in Afghan Population

Objective: Palmaris longus (PL) is a structure often used in reconstructive surgery mainly in the setting of tendon grafting. The palmaris longus agenesis varies depending on the race/ethnicity. Awareness of the prevalence in the treated population or ethnic group is important. The prevalence of palmaris longus agenesis has, to the best of the authors' knowledge, not been reported in Afghan population. Material and Methods: Four-hundred and thirty healthy Afghan subjects (215 males and 215 females) were clinically examined for the presence or absence of palmaris longus. The examination entailed observation of the volar aspect of the wrist, looking for the palmaris longus tendon using Schaeffer's test and Mishra's second test. Results: PL tendon was found to be absent unilaterally in 7.7% and bilaterally in 14.2% of study participants. The overall prevalence of absence of PL (unilateral or bilateral) was 21.9%. Bilateral absence of PL was statistically more frequent than the unilateral absence. The prevalence of absence of PL was statistically similar between the genders and the sites. Conclusion: The prevalence of the palmaris longus agenesis in the Afghan subjects was found to be much higher than the reported average prevalence in the Asian population.