The Spinoglenoid Ligament: An Anatomic Study

Abstract

The spinoglenoid ligament and its anatomic variations are described in 27 shoulders from 15 cadavers. In each shoulder one or two distinct spinoglenoid ligaments originated from the base of the spine of the scapula; they inserted on the neck of the scapula or the shoulder joint capsule. In the 19 shoulders in which only one spinoglenoid ligament was present, it inserted into the neck of the scapula in 14 cases and into the shoulder joint capsule in five instances. In the eight shoulders in which there were two ligaments, one inserted into the neck of the scapula and the other into the shoulder joint capsule. We did not observe any hypertrophic spinoglenoid ligaments that may have compressed the suprascapular nerve. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.