title: Morphometry of the suprascapular notch: correlation with scapular dimensions and clinical relevance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Better knowledge of the suprascapular notch anatomy may help to prevent and to assess more accurately suprascapular nerve entrapment syndrome. Our purposes were to verify the reliability of the existing data, to assess the differences between the two genders, to verify the correlation between the dimensions of the scapula and the suprascapular notch, and to investigate the relationship between the suprascapular notch and the postero-superior limit of the safe zone for the suprascapular nerve.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 500 dried scapulae, measuring seven distances related to the scapular body and suprascapular notch; they were also catalogued according to gender, age and side. Suprascapular notch was classified in accordance with Rengachary's method. For each class, we also took into consideration the width/depth ratio. Furthermore, Pearson's correlation was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequencies were: Type I 12.4%, Type II 19.8%, Type III 22.8%, Type IV 31.1%, Type V 10.2%, Type VI 3.6%. Width and depth did not demonstrate a statistical significant difference when analyzed according to gender and side; however, a significant difference was found between the depth means elaborated according to median age (73 y.o.). Correlation indexes were weak or not statistically significant. The differences among the postero-superior limits of the safe zone in the six types of notches was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient's characteristics (gender, age and scapular dimensions) are not related to the characteristics of the suprascapular notch (dimensions and Type); our data suggest that the entrapment syndrome is more likely to be associated with a Type III notch because of its specific features.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Rome Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Albino
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Candela
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arceri
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Vestri
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gumina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012540:Scapula / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000294:innervation; D012737:Sex Factors; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000294:innervation; D055815:Young Adult