The flexor pollicis brevis is an intrinsic muscle of the hand that originates from the flexor retinaculum of the wrist and tubercle of the trapezium. The muscle inserts on the radial side at the base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb. The recurrent branch of the median nerve and the deep branch of the ulnar nerve provide motor innervation that allows the flexor pollicis brevis to flex the thumb at the first metacarpophalangeal joint.
Laceration of the flexor pollicis brevis due to trauma significantly impairs hand function as the patient is unable to fully oppose the thumb to the small finger.
The Flap Surgery blog is an online educational tool for patients, medical students, nurses, physician assistants, general surgery residents, plastic & reconstructive surgery residents and physicians from other medical specialties who wish to become familiar with some of the more common anatomical flaps used in plastic & reconstructive surgery.