Fractures of the anatomical neck of the scapula: two cases and review of the literature

Abstract

Anatomical neck fractures of the scapula are rare. The authors have found in the literature only four radiologically documented fractures of the anatomical neck of the scapula. Two of them were published by Hardegger et al., the third case was published by Arts and Louette. The last case, in fact only a radiograph and a rather poor 3D CT reconstruction of a fracture of the anatomical neck of scapula, was published by Jeong and Zuckerman. Together with author’s two patients, the group of radiologically verified anatomical neck fractures of the scapula comprises six cases in total (four men, one woman, one gender unspecified). Analysis of the radiographs showed that in all these cases, the fracture line separated only the glenoid fossa from the scapular body, with a short spike of the lateral border of the scapula. The proximal part of the vertical fracture line ran into the coracoglenoid notch, between the upper border of the glenoid and the base of the coracoid process. The distal part of the fracture line crossed the lateral border of the scapular body 2–4 cm distal to the inferior pole of the glenoid fossa. The gleniod fragment was always formed by the glenoid fossa and a short spike of the lateral border of the scapular body. In five cases, the glenoid fragment, together with the humeral head, was displaced distally and the humeral head came to lie below the level of the coracoid process. At the same time, the glenoid fragment rotated into a valgus position. Only in one case, did the radiographs fail to show valgus displacement and the fracture was angulated in the transverse plane. In all six cases, the subacromial space between the acromion and the humeral head was widened. All fractures were operated on via a Judet posterior approach. In five cases, the outcome of the operation was assessed at 3, 5, 12, 21 and 120 months after surgery, three-being rated as excellent or very good, one as good and one as poor.