Pooled prevalence estimation of anomalous insertion of pectoralis minor in cadaveric studies

Abstract

Introduction: The pectoralis minor muscle originates in the chest wall's third to fifth ribs and inserts on the medial side of the Scapula's coracoid process. It aids in scapulothoracic joint abduction and shoulder downward movement. Since the 19th century, the aberrant insertion of the pectoralis minor beyond the coracoid process has been known. Aim of the study: To measure its pooled prevalence in different populations. Methods: The keywords were generated from MeSH term database. The keywords were combined with the operator to form search strategies. Three significant databases PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar were used. The data extraction was done from cadaveric studies. Results: The prevalence of anomalous insertion of pectoralis minor was reported to be 1.5-34% (per hundred shoulders in cadaveric dissection in exiting literatures, but its pooled prevalence was 22% (16-31%) (Per hundred shoulders). According to Le Double's classification, there were three sorts of variations of aberrant tendon insertion. In the literature, the Coracohumeral ligament and the Supraspinatus are two more common locations for the implantation of aberrant tendons. Conclusion: During rotator cuff surgeries, surgeons should be cautious about the pectoralis minor tendon in the rotator interval.