Is there any effect of suprascapular notch type in iatrogenic suprascapular nerve lesions? An anatomical study.

This anatomical study, which is aimed at assessing the effect of suprascapular notch type in iatrogenic suprascapular nerve lesions in surgical interventions, was conducted in two stages. A hundred dry scapulas and 20 scapulas of 11 cadavera were classified according to Rengachary. The point of measurement was determined medially as the deepest point of suprascapular notch and laterally as supraglenoid tubercle in dry scapulas and anchor of biceps in cadavera. It was found that in the measurements made in dry scapulas, notch Type-IV scapulas, despite not being statistically significant, had the lowest average (2.35 cm), with minimum and maximum values of 2.1 cm and 2.78 cm respectively, when compared to other scapula types. It was found in the cadavera study that the measurements of one Type-IV scapula and one Type-V scapula were lower than the other types. Determination of the notch type in the rotator-cuff tears--especially in massive and retracted tears where supraspinatus has to be released from the fossa--may be helpful in avoiding iatrogenic nerve lesion.