Morphological and Morphometric Study of Glenoid Cavity and It’s Clinical Application in Western Rajasthan Population

Abstract

Background: Glenoid cavity (GC) is a shallow, concave and oval fossa at superolateral border of scapula and form glenohumeral joint with scapula. There is a notch present on its anterosuperior part which gives its different shape. When this glenoid notch is indistinct its shape is pear shaped, when it is distinct it looks like inverted comma shape and when it is absent its oval shape. Understanding morphometric and morphological variation of GC plays an important role for surgeon while designing and fitting of glenoid component for total shoulder arthroplasty. Aims: A morphometric study of the glenoid cavity of 120 adult dry human scapulae in Western Rajasthan Population was done to evaluate the shape and various diameters of the GC. Material and methods: 120 dry scapulae (60 Right and 60 Left) of unknown sex, were taken for the study. Damaged bones were excluded from the study. Supero-Inferior Diameter (SI-D), Antero-Posterior Diameters (AP-D1 and AP-D2) of both sides were analysed and compared by unpaired t-test. Results: Most common shape of GC was pear shaped (45.83%) followed by oval shape (35%). Least common shape was inverted comma shape (19.16%). Difference in mean SI-D of both sides were statistically insignificant while AP-D1 and AP-D2 were found statistically significant. Mean Glenoid Cavity Index on right and left sides were 64.57 ± 6.91% and 68.33 ± 6.29% respectively. Conclusions: The above study helps Orthopedicians in shoulder dislocation, fractures and treating shoulder pathological conditions like glenohumeral instability and rotator cuff pathology.