Caput Tertium Gastrocnemius: Its Phylogenetic and Clinical Basis

The third head of Gastrocnemius has gained significance in recent years due to the advent of sports and high stakes involved in this area. More cases of young athletes with popliteal artery entrapment are seen. Early diagnosis is of great importance in order to avoid vascular complications, and aid in athletes' early rehabilitation. Increased awareness of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome combined with improvements in investigative modalities has resulted in a more frequent diagnosis of this eminently treatable condition. Therefore, we report a case of caput tertium arising from medial head of Gastrocnemius muscle, observed during routine dissection of a 55-year old male cadaver and elaborate its embryologic and clinical aspects.