SESAMOID BONES OF THE KNEE-JOINT OF THE PUMA CONCOLOR

The sesamoid bones of the knee joint were studied in three cadavers of adult pumas (Puma concolor), i.e. one female and two males, with rega rd to the already known and described situation in the domestic cat, i n terms of its occurrence, formation and topographical-anatomical rela tion to the bones of the knee joint. The cadavers were obtained from t oes as a contribution to our anatomical collections. Following X-ray e xaminations, the patella ossa sesamoidea m. gastrocnemii and os sesamo ideum m. poplitei were studied after anatomical dissection using class ical osteological methods and differential staining of the bone tissue with alizarin. The heart-shaped patella of the puma is relatively wid er, shorter and more flattened than that of the cat. Its os sesamoideu m m. gastrocnemii laterale is larger than the medial, as is the cat's. The shape of the os sesamoideum m. poplitei resembles a smaller patel la and is embedded in the tendomuscular transition of the respective m uscle. Oval shadows were observed in the cranial part of the femorotib ial articular slit on radiographs in lateromedial projections. Based o n this finding and applying the described methods and techniques, in a ll the examined cases we proved an osseous formation - os menisci medi alis a heterotopic bone showing lamellar osteons after routine histolo gical examinations with HE staining. Our findings can be employed in c omparative anatomy and in clinical practice, particularly when assessi ng radiographs of the knee region of the Puma concolor.