Investigation Of The Topographic Relations Regarding the Clinical Anatomy Of Levator Scapulae Muscle

Abstract

Purpose: The levator scapula muscle is affected in cervical dystonia, myofascial pain syndrome, and it is a preferred muscle for tendon transfers and muscle flaps. There is no cadaveric study in the literature investigating the detailed anatomy of this clinically important muscle, including its topographic relationships and morphometric data. Therefore, our study aims to define the origins, insertions, innervations, topographic and morphological features of the muscle with cadaver dissections. Methods: Those features of the muscle with the surrounding nerves were determined by bilateral dissections on 7 cadavers (4 males, 3 females) belonging to the Department of Anatomy of the University of Health Sciences, Hamidiye Faculty of Medicine. The morphometric measurements of the muscle were evaluated in the SPSS program with nonparametric statistical analysis and correlation methods. Results: In the insertion region of the muscle, which starts with a 42.86% non-symmetrical attachment from different numbers of cervical vertebra, 66.66% m. found to be associated with serratus anterior. The origo width is 52.76 ± 7.89mm, with an average; insertion width 51.05 ± 5.25mm; axial length 124.64 ± 16.70mm; The width, thickness and distance of the widest part to the insertion were 36.57 ± 6.37, respectively; 9.14 ± 3.73; 54.97 ± 10.38 mm found. Conclusion: We anticipate that our current findings will increase anatomical knowledge about the levator scapula and provide support for anatomy education and clinical approaches such as muscle transfer, myotomy, denervation, dry needling, flap applications.