Lower Trapezius Transfer for Shoulder External Rotation in Patients With Paralytic Shoulder

Transfer of the rhomboid nerve to the suprascapular nerve: An anatomical feasibility study

“…For pure motor nerves, nerve diameter is correlated to the number of fascicles [4]. In addition, if the nerve surgery were to fail, direct transfer of the trapezius muscle is still possible, particularly to restore external rotation [10].…”

The Role of Tendon Transfers for Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears

“…The lower trapezius transfer provided a more effective external rotation moment arm when compared to the latissimus dorsi transfer. Additionally, excursion and tension forces are very similar to the infraspinatus [48].…”

“…The upper portion inserts over the lateral third of the posterior clavicle, while the middle and lower portions attach over the medial acromion and spine of the scapula. The trapezius receives its blood supply from the transverse cervical artery and innervation from the spinal accessory nerve (cranial nerve XI) [48,49].…”

“…Lower trapezius transfer was originally described by Elhassan et al for patients with a paralytic shoulder lacking external rotation [48]. This is performed through an open approach.…”

Rotator Cuff Tears : Short- and long-term aspects on treatment outcome

“…Careful patient selection is required and patients with pseudoparalysis and insufficient subscapularis function probably have much less gain from this procedure 6,94,214 . The variability of results, and the fact that the transferred latissimus tendon provides a quite vertical pull, have led to the development of the lower trapezius transfer 72 , in which the transferred lower trapezius, and the allograft that is required, provide a line of pull that is nearly identical to that of infraspinatus 50 . Results in selected patients have shown significant improvements in pain, function and range of motion 73 , but comparative studies and medium-term results are lacking.…”