Morphometric study of suprascapular notch and scapular dimensions in Ugandan dry scapulae with specific reference to the incidence of completely ossified superior transverse scapular ligament

Abstract

Background: Understanding of suprascapular notch (SSN) anatomy and relationship with scapular dimensions are vital in diagnosis, prevention, and assessment of suprascapular nerve entrapment syndrome. The study aimed to assess morphometry of suprascapular notch and scapular dimensions in Ugandan dry scapulae with specific reference to scapulae with completely ossified superior transverse scapular ligaments. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study conducted on 50 Ugandan dry scapulae. SSN types and prevalence of completely ossified superior transverse scapular ligament among dry scapulae were quantified and compared with previous data. Scapular dimensions were assessed by measuring scapular length (A), scapular width (B), glenoid length (C), and glenoid width (D). One-way ANOVA was used to compare scapular dimensions of scapulae with different SSN types, and Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlation coefficient of scapular dimensions amongst groups. Results: Superior transverse scapular ligament (STSL) was completely ossified in 8% of cases. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference between scapular dimensions of scapulae with completely ossified STSL compared to scapulae with other SSN types. Scapulae with completely ossified STSL showed strong negative (r = -0.89137, r = -0.877) correlations for its A, B respectively compared against D, this finding was not true to scapulae of other SSN types. Also, there were strong positive or negative (r > 0.7, r > -0.7) correlations: for A, types I and III compared to type VI; for B, types I, III compared to VI; for C, type IV and VI; and for D, type III and VI. Conclusions: The prevalence of completely ossified STSL is moderately high in the Ugandan population. Characteristics of the scapula (scapular dimensions) are not ‘vital’ but rather important or relevant for shoulder pathology with specific reference to suprascapular nerve entrapment syndrome due to completely ossified superior transverse scapular ligaments. Further correlation analyses of scapular dimensions of different SSN types in different populations are important.

Morphometric study of the suprascapular notch and scapular dimensions in adult malawian cadavers and implications of completely ossified superior transverse scapular ligament

“…2010 in Kenya who reported 4 scapulae (2.9%) and Adewale et al . 2020 in Uganda who reported 10 scapulae (8%), the incidence rate of the current study is generally smaller [ 3 , 11 ]. However, the rate of complete ossification of the suprascapular ligament in this study was higher than that reported by Natsis et al .…”

“…The current study examined the morphology and morphometric dimensions of the suprascapular notch in adult Malawian cadavers and their clinical implications associated with complete ossification of the suprascapular ligament. Numerous studies reported on the variations of the morphology and morphometric dimensions of the suprascapular notch in various populations [ 11 , 13 , 14 ]. These dimensional variations are population specific and may be attributed to genetic, environmental and regional differences [ 9 - 11 ].…”

“…Numerous studies reported on the variations of the morphology and morphometric dimensions of the suprascapular notch in various populations [ 11 , 13 , 14 ]. These dimensional variations are population specific and may be attributed to genetic, environmental and regional differences [ 9 - 11 ]. Clinically, such variations have profound implications in the management of patients with symptoms associated with suprascapular neuropathy particularly suprascapular nerve entrapment associated with complete ossification of the suprascapular ligament [ 13 - 15 ].…”

“…The distribution of suprascapular notch Rengachary types and their relationships with anthropometric dimensions of the entire scapula has been extensively investigated in numerous populations, including Uganda, Kenya, the United States and India [ 3 , 9 - 11 , 13 , 14 ]. The incidence of complete ossification of the suprascapular ligament has received a lot of attention.…”

Foramen Escapular Osificado en una Muestra Poblacional Colombo-Chilena

“…En numerosos artículos, relatos de casos y casos clínicos, en diferentes individuos de diversos países, se ha reportado la completa osificación del ligamento transverso superior de la escápula, así se ha reportado en: americanos (Ticker et al, 1998); turcos (Büyükmumcu et al, 2013); nigerianos (Osuagwu et al, 2005), en sujetos de India (Khan, 2006); en brasileños (Silva et al, 2007); pakistaníes (Zahid et al, 2014;kenianos (Sinkeet et al, 2010); ugandeses (Adewale et al, 2020), entre otros. Por otra parte, se han descrito dos forámenes escapulares en un mismo hueso (Covantev et al, 2016).…”