Background: The common site of compression of suprascapular nerve which arise from the upper trunk of brachial plexus, is either at the spinoglenoid notch or at the suprascapular notch. This notch is converted into a foramen by a ligament named superior transverse scapular ligament through which suprascapular nerve passes. Sometimes this ligament get ossified & converts this notch into a bony foramen. When overhead abduction occurs around the shoulder joint, it produces traction force on suprascapular nerve & it may leads to entrapment neuropathy.

This risk of entrapment increases when this ligament get completely ossified & form a bony foramen.

Aim & Objective: To study the incidence of ossification of this ligament in population of Bihar & compare it with findings among different regions of world.

Materials and Methods: We conducted this study on 120 (Right-56, Left-64) scapula of unknown sex & age, which neither have any bony deformities nor damaged superior border.

Results: We found 16 scapulae among 120 (13.33%) in which superior transverse scapular ligament is fully ossified. Among them 11 (9.17%) belongs to right & 4 (4.16%) belongs to left side. This ossification is more common in right side.

Conclusion: These findings itself suggestive of ossification of this ligament is not so rare in Bihar. So, the physicians & surgeons must have knowledge about this ossification which helps in early diagnosis of nerve entrapment.

Keywords: Scapula, Nerve entrapment syndrome, Suprascapular notch, Transverse scapular ligament, Suprascapular nerve.

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Ritu

Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology,

Narayan Medical College and Hospital, Sasaram, Bihar (India)

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