A rare anomaly of the extensor digitorum longus.

We encountered the absence of the tendon to the fourth toe of the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the right leg in the body of a 73-year-old Japanese woman during the course of educational dissection at Nagoya City University Medical School. The tendon to the fourth toe of the extensor digitorum longus muscle was solely absent. To our knowledge, this anatomical variation has never been cited in the medical literature. We document the precise gross anatomical findings with some morphometric measurements. Moreover, we discuss the morphology of this anomaly in relation to previously described variations and anomalies of the extensor digitorum longus muscle.