A variant accessory muscle of the gluteus maximus

Victor TAYLOR, Geoffrey D. GUT

Abstract

Routine dissection of the gluteal region revealed an accessory muscle originating from the deep, inferior fibers of the gluteus maximus muscle. The described muscle was surrounded by a separate facial sheath and contained fibers that converged into a tendon with origins from both the gluteus maximus muscle and the iliotibial tract (band). This tendon inserted on the proximal femur lateral to the intertrochanteric crest, slightly superior to the upper border of the gluteal tuberosity. Typically, the inferior fibers of the gluteus maximus muscle will insert into the gluteal tuberosity. This variant accessory muscle of the gluteus maximus seen with a separate muscle belly and tendinous insertion has not been previously described in the literature regarding the anatomy of the gluteal region.