title: The deltoid muscle origin. Histologic characteristics and effects of subacromial decompression.
abstract: The histologic characteristics of the deltoid muscle attachment to nine cadaveric acromia were studied using light microscopy. The deltoid muscle attaches to the anterior and lateral acromion primarily by direct tendinous attachment. The muscle attaches to the dorsal side of the acromion by periosteal fiber attachment. In the specimens studied, a hypothetical acromioplasty of 4 mm would release, on average, 41% of the direct fiber attachment, and a 6-mm acromioplasty would release 69% for all zones examined histologically. The functional and clinical effects of these findings are not known, but the deltoid muscle would be released by arthroscopic acromioplasty in areas where bone is removed.
authors.affiliation: Section of Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21093, USA.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Torpey
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van der Heeden
authors.forename: E Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: McFarland
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000174:Acromion / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods; D002102:Cadaver; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology