Appendikulært

Appendikulært is an adjective used in anatomy, primarily in Scandinavian languages, to describe structures related to the limbs and their supporting girdles. It corresponds to the English term appendicular and is used to distinguish the limb and girdle regions from the axial skeleton, which comprises the skull, vertebral column, and rib cage.

The appendicular system includes the shoulder girdle (clavicle and scapula), the upper limb (humerus, radius, ulna, carpal bones, metacarpals, and phalanges), the pelvic girdle (hip bones), and the lower limb (femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsals, metatarsals, and phalanges). Descriptions in medical texts may refer to appendikulære bones, joints, muscles, nerves, or vessels to indicate their relation to these limb regions. In clinical contexts, appendikulært terminology helps differentiate injuries or diseases of the limbs from conditions affecting the axial skeleton or trunk.

Etymology traces to Latin roots meaning a small appendage, reflecting the idea of limbs as appendages to the trunk. The term is commonly used in Scandinavian medical literature and education; in international or English-language contexts, the corresponding term is appendicular.

In summary, appendikulært designates anything pertaining to the limbs and their girdles, forming a key axis of description in comparative anatomy, human and veterinary medicine, and surgical planning. See also: axial skeleton, appendicular skeleton.