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A proposal for a new classification of the long head of the biceps brachii

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Abstract

Introduction

The anterior compartment of the arm consists of three muscles: the biceps brachii, brachialis and coracobrachialis. The aim of the present study was to characterize possible variations in the morphology of the proximal attachments of the long head of the biceps brachii and to propose an accurate classification of the area which can be useful for planning surgical procedures and planning rehabilitation in the region.

Materials and methods

Eighty (40 left and 40 right, 40 female, 40 male) upper limbs fixed in 10% formalin solution were examined.

Results

The main tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii demonstrated three types of attachment. The most common type, Type I (53.75%), was characterized by a single attachment only for the supraglenoid tubercle. Type III (33.75%) was characterized by a single attachment to the glenoid labrum. Type II (12.5%) was characterized by a double attachment to the glenoid labrum and the supraglenoid tubercle. Additionally, two types of the accessory tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii were identified (Type A–B). Type A (14 cases) was attached to the capsule of the humeral joint, and Type B (six cases) was attached to the greater tubercle of the humerus.

Conclusion

The long head of the biceps brachii is characterized by high morphological variability. The new classification proposes three types of proximal attachment (I–III), with two types of accessory long head of the biceps brachii (A–B) tendon. A thorough understanding of the morphological variability of the long head of the biceps brachii is necessary when planning arthroscopic procedures or even planning rehabilitation procedures.

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Availability of data and materials

Please contact authors for data requests (Łukasz Olewnik PhD email address: lukasz.olewnik@umed.lodz.pl).

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their gratitude to all those who donated their bodies to medical science.

Funding

The authors have no financial or personal relationship with any third party whose interests could be positively or negatively influenced by the article’s content. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not for profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland

    Bartłomiej Szewczyk, Nicol Zielinska, Maja Markanicz & Łukasz Olewnik

  2. Institute of Clinical and Functional Anatomy, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Marko Konschake

  3. Orthopaedics and Paediatric Orthopaedics Department, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland

    Andrzej Borowski

  4. Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland

    Michał Podgórski

Authors
  1. Bartłomiej Szewczyk
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  2. Marko Konschake
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  3. Michał Podgórski
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  4. Nicol Zielinska
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  5. Maja Markanicz
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  6. Andrzej Borowski
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  7. Łukasz Olewnik
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Contributions

BS (D.P.T.): assistant-project development, data collection and management, data analysis and manuscript writing. MK (MD., PhD): professor-data analysis, manuscript editing. MP (MD., PhD): associate Professor-statistical analysis, data analysis and manuscript editing. NZ: assistant-data analysis, manuscript editing. MM: assistant-data collection and analysis, manuscript editing. AB (MD., PhD): data analysis, manuscript editing. ŁO (D.P.T., PhD): associate Professor-data collection and management, data analysis and manuscript editing. All the authors have read and approved the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Łukasz Olewnik.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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The cadavers belonged to the Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz.

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Szewczyk, B., Konschake, M., Podgórski, M. et al. A proposal for a new classification of the long head of the biceps brachii. Surg Radiol Anat 44, 963–970 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-02961-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-02961-4

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