What Is the Coracoid Process?

The upper edge of the scapula is short and thin, the lateral part has scapular notch, and the lateral part has forward finger-shaped protrusions called coracoid process.

The upper edge of the scapula is short and thin, the lateral part has scapular notch, and the lateral part has forward finger-shaped protrusions called coracoid process.

Chinese name

Coracoid

Department

Anatomy

Coracoid anatomy

The morphological length of the scapula is (13.110 ± 2.191) cm; the morphological width of the scapula is (10.081 ± 1.430) cm; the upper transverse diameter of the scapular notch is (1.172 ± 0.763) cm; the maximum depth is (0.783 ± 0.582) cm.

Features of coracoid blood supply and bone donor area

The blood supply of the scapula is a diffuse blood supply, which is abundant. However, each area has a main blood vessel. It has been reported in the article that the superior shoulder and foot arteries are mostly from the thyroid neck (66.67%) and are mainly nourishing the shoulder and foot; the dorsal shoulder and foot arteries are mostly from the transverse carotid artery (68.33%) and mainly nourishing the medial edge of the scapula; From the inferior shoulder artery (93.33%), the main nutrition is the lateral margin of the scapula. From the perspective of the scapula's morphology and blood supply, there is a main blood supply artery on the lateral, medial and scapular margins of the scapula, which can be used as the donor area. However, the medial marginal bone is relatively weak, and the outside of the shoulder and foot is close to the shoulder joint. Therefore, some scholars believe that the bone margin of the scapula should be used in the lateral margin area, and the medial margin and scapular foot area should be selected in the second place.

Key points of clinical application of coracoid process

When taking the lateral margin of the scapula with a vascular pedicle for transplantation, because the area is mainly supplied by the rotator shoulder arteries, the arteries pass through the trilateral hole, so the artery can be quickly found by the trilateral hole separation operation. When separating arteries, 93.33% of the circumflex shoulder arteries originate from the inferior shoulder arteries, so it is easier to find separation. In a few cases, there are still 6.66% of the bowel's spinal foot and foot arteries originating from the axillary artery. Therefore, care must be taken to protect the brachial plexus nerve around the axillary artery when separating the artery proximally.

When taking a pedicle with a vascular pedicle for transplantation, generally make an incision along the upper edge of the scapula to reveal the lateral ligament of the shoulder and foot. The upper shoulder artery and the nerve on the shoulder and foot pass through the underside of the ligament and free on the shoulder and foot. The arteries of the shoulder and foot should not be damaged during the arteries. When passing through the second and third segments of the subclavian artery, the arteries of the shoulder and foot pass through the brachial plexus. Therefore, it is recommended to pay attention to the local relationship when separating the arteries of the shoulder and foot proximally. Injury brachial plexus. In addition, in order to maintain the stability of the shoulder joint, the lateral part of the shoulder fat should be retained when the bone is taken.

When taking the medial edge of the scapula with a vascular pedicle for transplantation, the dorsum of the scapulohumeral artery travels through the deep surface of the scapular spleen and rhomboid muscle and descends along the medial side of the scapula. This artery, 68.33% of the dorsal and shoulder arteries originate from the transverse carotid artery and 31.67% from the subclavian artery. Therefore, it is not advisable to separate the dorsal and shoulder arteries so as to avoid damage to the pleural and brachial plexus adjacent to the subclavian artery.