Effects of Bicipital Groove Bony Morphology on the Stability of Long Head of the Biceps Tendon

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the bony morphologic characteristics of the bicipital groove and to determine their relationswith the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) instability on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Methods: The depth of the bicipital groove (DBG), the medial wall angle (MWA) and the total opening angle (TOA)were measured on the shoulder MRI of 536 patients with anterior shoulder pain. 450 patients with a normally-locatedLHBT determined stable LHBT, 86 patients with subluxation or dislocation of the LHBT determined unstable LHBT. Weassessed the relationship between measurements and LHBT stability and analyzed the cut-off values of the measurementsto identify the long head of the biceps tendon instability.Results: The incidence of partial rotator cuff rupture, total rotator cuff tear, tendinosis and superior labral lesions weresignificantly higher in patients with unstable LHBT (p