Variability of the Arterial Distribution to the Rotator Cuff Muscles and Its Correlation with the Diversity of Arterial Origin

Abstract

The arterial distribution to the rotator cuff muscles was studied in 14 upper extremities of Japanese cadavers and its diversity was correlated with the variable arterial origin. The supraspinatus was supplied with arterial branches from the suprascapular artery (SPS), the infraspinatus with those from SPS and from the circumflex scapular artery (CS), and the teres minor with those from the posterior circumflex humeral artery and from CS, and the dorsal aspect of the subscapularis with those from SPS and from CS, whereas the ventral aspect of the subscapularis was supplied with branches from several variable origins. On the basis of origin and course, SPS was classified into proximal and distal types (pSPS and dSPS) and the subscapular artery was classified into superficial and deep types (sSBS and dSBS). The boundary between the distribution areas of SPS and CS in the infraspinatus and the dorsal aspect of subscapularis were variable and influenced primarily by the types of SPS with larger distribution areas of SPS in the cases of dSPS, and secondarily by the types of SBS with larger distribution areas of CS in the cases of dSBS. The kinds of branches and their distribution areas to the ventral aspect of the subscapularis were influenced by both the types of SPS and SBS. The present study revealed the main distribution areas of arteries in the rotator cuff muscles and their variation, and predicted the weakly vascularized areas in these muscles, which corresponded well to the localization of trigger points that elicit referred pain.

Diversity of Arterial Branches in the Crural and Foot Region as Correlated with the Relative Thickness of the Fibular and Posterior Tibial Arteries

“…The forearm contains the radial and ulnar arteries, whose relative dominance was known to be variable, and their relative dominance per se affected the variation of the superficial and deep palmar arch in the hand 5) . Recently Serita et al 6) studied the arterial variations distributing the muscles around the scapula, and clarified that the distribution pattern was influenced by the variation of branching pattern of the origin of supplying arteries.…”