Gluteoperinealis muscle: A surgically important variation

Abstract

Background Anatomical variations are common in gluteal region. This report presents two cases of gluteoperinealis muscles detected during radiological imaging. Case presentation Our study was conducted on two patients. This report describes an accessory muscle detected in the gluteal region on MRI examination of a patient who admitted to our clinic after a firearm injury and a second patient examined with CT imaging who had signs of pelvic infection. In the first case, this accessory muscle originated bilaterally from the fascia of the gluteus maximus throughout its posteromedial side and was attached to the perineal body. In the second case, it extended forward from the fascia of the gluteus maximus muscle and inserted to the cavernous body of penis on the left side and to the perineal body on the right. In the literature, this accessory muscle has been described as the gluteoperinealis muscle being a rare variation. Conclusion Considering the origin and insertion of the muscle, this variation may be important during the surgical operations of the gluteal and perineal regions.