Anatomical and morphometric features of Arteria Subscapularis

Anatomy and variations of subscapular artery are important for clinical and surgical approaches. However, researches about anatomy and morphometric parameters of subscapular artery aren't enough. That is why exploring subscapular artery was aimed. For cadaver study, dissections were made bilaterally in 28 cadavers that were studied for education in Department of Anatomy, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University. For radiological part; 25 cases, who underwent contrast-enhanced thorax computed tomography examination, were evaluated bilaterally retrospectively. The subscapular artery, anterior and posterior humeral circumflex arteries which all originate from third part of axillary artery were examined. The close relation between subscapular artery and radial nerve was also examined. The initial diameter of subscapular artery, length of subscapular artery up to exit of circumflex scapular artery, initial diameters of thoracodorsal artery and circumflex scapular artery were all measured with digital calipers. Average values for cadaveric samples were 4.1±0.7 mm, 17.1±6.3 mm, 2.6±0.5 mm, 3.1±0.8 mm respectively whereas average values for radiological samples were 3.9±0.7 mm, 24.3±4.1 mm, 2.2±0.4 mm, 2.5±0.3mm respectively. According to branching morphology of third part of axillary artery; 35.2% of cases were type-1; 31.5% of cases were type-2; 22.2% of cases were type-3; 7.4% of cases were type-4 respectively in cadavers. In radiological samples; 82% of cases were type-1; 2% cases were type-4 and 4% of cases were type-5 (only one case, bilaterally) respectively. We believe that detailed description of subscapular artery itself, branch variations, morphometric measurements and relations of it we have provided, will be helpful for surgical approaches.