Morphological Variations of Glenoid Cavity of Human Scapulae: An Anatomical Study With Clinical Relevance

Abstract

The purpose of this present study was to observe the morphological variations of glenoid process of adult human scapulae by subjective evaluation, because morphologic variants of adult glenoid process play an important role in various shoulder joint pathologies especially dislocations with fractures of the glenoid cavity which is also quite common.Materialsand Methods: Two hundred sixty adult dry scapulae (127 right & 133 left) from the osteology museum of department of Anatomy, belonging to Indian population of unknown sex & age were obtained for the morphologic pattern of glenoid cavity by subjective evaluation. We have examined the presence of notch in the glenoid process of each scapulae& according to the presence of notch, we evaluated the bones for the morphological classification as pear; inverted comma & oval shaped glenoid process. Our observations were compared with other osteological studies performed on different other population groups.Results: Out of total 260 scapulae, 187 bones showed notch in the margin of the glenoid cavity.Most of the bones without a notch were termed as oval shaped (73 scapulae) glenoid & rest of the bones were of pear shaped variety. Among the pear shaped glenoid, 113 scapulae showed pear shaped cavity with slight notch; 71 scapulae showed an inverted comma shaped glenoid. Not only the basic morphology, we have also reported some of the scapulae with special morphologic features like a very prominent infraglenoid tubercle; presence of foramen in the glenoid cavity &highly special nodular glenoid cavity.Conclusions: Though glenoid cavities showed highly variable morphological pictures, but the clinicians should be well versed with the normal appearance & anatomic variants of glenoid cavities on dry bones, so that they can interpret its morphology on radiographs and MRI scans. Our results of this subjective evaluation may be of help as baseline data for theclinicians especially for the orthopaedic surgeons for the diagnosis &treatment modalities of shoulder dislocations & fracture.

Cavitas Glenoidalis Morfolojisinin Kuru Kemikler Üzerinde İncelenmesi

“…The GCs were typed as oval, pear, and inverted comma shaped and noted the number of GC notch. These morphologic features were evaluated by three anatomists and the glenoid cavity shape and notch variations were decided together according to studies by Singh R., and Saha and Vasudeva (6,7). If the notch is distinct or pronounced, GC was classified as an inverted comma, otherwise, it was oval, if it is indistinct, it is classified as pear shaped.…”