Suprascapular nerve

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The suprascapular nerve (" shoulder blade nerve ") is a nerve of the brachial plexus . In humans it has its roots in the spinal cord between the 5th and 6th neck segment (C5-C6), in domestic animals it has its roots in C6-C7. It extends to the upper (in animals: anterior) edge of the shoulder blade and over the scapular notch to the outside of the shoulder blade .

Innervation area

The suprascapular nerve provides motor innervation:

Suprascapular palsy

human

A paralysis of the suprascapular nerve (also: Nerve suprascapular compression syndrome ) occurs occasionally in people before carrying heavy loads on your shoulder, or the notch-scapula syndrome . The failure of the muscles innervated by the suprascapular nerve (M. supraspinatus and / or M. infraspinatus) significantly increases the risk of dislocation of the humeral head (failure of the rotator cuff ).

Pets

In animals, suprascapular palsy is one of the more common nerve palsies. Since the nerve runs over the front edge of the shoulder blade and thus over a hard bone edge, it can be easily damaged if this region is hit. In cattle, this occurs mainly when they are pushed into a feed fence. In animal species that do not have an acromion (e.g. horses ), the nerve on the outside of the shoulder blade is also at risk of injury (blows or knocks on the lateral shoulder, lying on the side).

The muscles innervated by the suprascapular nerve play a major role in the lateral stabilization of the shoulder joint in animals , since, with the exception of carnivores , no collateral ligaments are formed and the two muscles assume the function of the lateral collateral ligament. If these muscles fail, the shoulder joint deviates to the side (“ flaking ”).

A longer-lasting nerve paralysis ultimately leads to atrophy of the two muscles (muscle wasting), as a result of which the scapular bone ( spina scapulae ) protrudes and in front and behind the two scapular pits ( fossa supra- and infraspinata ) , which are normally filled by these muscles, become visible as indentations. If only part of the nerve is damaged, only one of the two pits can be exposed.

Suprascapular block

A block anesthesia of the nerves at the scapular notch is sometimes in pain therapy performed in humans.

literature

  • Franz-Viktor Salomon: nervous system, systema nervosum. In: Franz-Viktor Salomon, Hans Geyer, Uwe Gille (Ed.): Anatomy for veterinary medicine. Enke, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8304-1007-7 , pp. 464-577.