Open Access

Macroscopic and ultrasonographic anatomy of the rotator cuff layers

Zbigniew Czyrny
Zbigniew Czyrny
, 
Bartłomiej Kordasiewicz
Bartłomiej Kordasiewicz
, 
Maciej Kiciński
Maciej Kiciński
 and 
Małgorzata Brzozowska
Małgorzata Brzozowska
   | Jun 28, 2019
Journal of Ultrasonography's Cover Image
About this article
Previous Article
Next Article
Cite
Article Category: original-paper
Published Online: Jun 28, 2019
Page range: 120 - 124
Received: May 24, 2018
Accepted: Feb 15, 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15557/jou.2019.0017
Keywords
© 2019 Zbigniew Czyrny et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1.

Specimen 1. The rotator cuff and the humeral head. The tool is holding the anterior band of the superior complex. Sspin – supraspinatus zone; ispin – infraspinatus zone
Specimen 1. The rotator cuff and the humeral head. The tool is holding the anterior band of the superior complex. Sspin – supraspinatus zone; ispin – infraspinatus zone

Fig. 2.

Specimen 2 of the rotator cuff and the humeral head. A. Superior complex folded back from the humeral head; B. The superior complex covering part of the humeral head. After dissection of these layers, the tendons of the supraspinatus (sspin) and infraspinatus (ispin) appear on the inner surface of the muscles. Tool on B is holding the posterior limb of the superior complex
Specimen 2 of the rotator cuff and the humeral head. A. Superior complex folded back from the humeral head; B. The superior complex covering part of the humeral head. After dissection of these layers, the tendons of the supraspinatus (sspin) and infraspinatus (ispin) appear on the inner surface of the muscles. Tool on B is holding the posterior limb of the superior complex

Fig. 3.

Specimen 3 of the rotator cuff. A. A view seen by surgeons during humeral joint arthroscopy – the inner surface of the superior complex is seen. Al – anterior limb, pl – posterior limb, cable – rotator cable (a ligament connecting distally anterior and posterior limb of the superior complex); B. The superior complex covering the humeral head, tendons of the supraspinatus (sspin) and infraspinatus (ispin) with muscle bellies separated from the superior complex
Specimen 3 of the rotator cuff. A. A view seen by surgeons during humeral joint arthroscopy – the inner surface of the superior complex is seen. Al – anterior limb, pl – posterior limb, cable – rotator cable (a ligament connecting distally anterior and posterior limb of the superior complex); B. The superior complex covering the humeral head, tendons of the supraspinatus (sspin) and infraspinatus (ispin) with muscle bellies separated from the superior complex

Fig. 4.

US exam of the specimen 1. Longitudinal US section at the supraspinatus zone with separated tendinous (green arrows) and capsuloligamentous (blue arrows) layers. The depth of separation of the layers was approx 10 mm. Both layers are similar in thickness. By permission of Czyrny (4)
US exam of the specimen 1. Longitudinal US section at the supraspinatus zone with separated tendinous (green arrows) and capsuloligamentous (blue arrows) layers. The depth of separation of the layers was approx 10 mm. Both layers are similar in thickness. By permission of Czyrny (4)

Fig. 5.

Specimen 2. Longitudinal (long) and transverse (tra) sections of the supraspinatus/infraspinatus zone in a water bath. Measurement A = 4.2 mm and 3.8 mm in both planes – superior complex layer. Measurement B = 3.5 mm and 2.9 mm in both planes – tendinous layer. The superior complex layer is thicker than the tendinous one in both measurements
Specimen 2. Longitudinal (long) and transverse (tra) sections of the supraspinatus/infraspinatus zone in a water bath. Measurement A = 4.2 mm and 3.8 mm in both planes – superior complex layer. Measurement B = 3.5 mm and 2.9 mm in both planes – tendinous layer. The superior complex layer is thicker than the tendinous one in both measurements

Fig. 6.

Specimen 3. Longitudinal (long) and transverse (tra) sections in US examination in a water bath. Measurement A = 1.9 mm and 3.2 mm in both planes – superior complex layer. Measurement B = 3.3 mm and 3.9 mm in both planes – layer of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons. The tendinous layer is thicker than the superior complex in both measurements
Specimen 3. Longitudinal (long) and transverse (tra) sections in US examination in a water bath. Measurement A = 1.9 mm and 3.2 mm in both planes – superior complex layer. Measurement B = 3.3 mm and 3.9 mm in both planes – layer of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons. The tendinous layer is thicker than the superior complex in both measurements

Fig. 7.

A schematic representation of the rotator cuff structures. Longitudinal section of the shoulder in the supraspinatus or infraspinatus zone. Blue – superior complex, green – tendon, red – muscle belly, purple – subacromial-subdeltoid bursa. By permission of Czyrny (4)
A schematic representation of the rotator cuff structures. Longitudinal section of the shoulder in the supraspinatus or infraspinatus zone. Blue – superior complex, green – tendon, red – muscle belly, purple – subacromial-subdeltoid bursa. By permission of Czyrny (4)
eISSN:
2451-070X
Language:
English
Publication timeframe:
4 times per year
Journal Subjects:
Medicine, Basic Medical Science, other
Journal RSS Feed