Supraspinous fossa

Supraspinous fossa
Supraspinous fossa
	Left scapula. Dorsal surface. Supraspinatous fossa shown in red.
	Left scapula. Dorsal surface. Supraspinatous fossa shown in red.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	fossa supraspinata
TA98	A02.4.01.007
TA2	1150
FMA	23269
	Anatomical terms of bone [edit on Wikidata]

The supraspinous fossa (supraspinatus fossa, supraspinatous fossa) of the posterior aspect of the

Supraspinatus

.

Structure

The fossa can be exposed by the removal of skin and the

trapezius muscle

.

The supraspinous fossa is bounded by the

superior angle of scapula

on the superior side.

Supraspinatus muscle originates from the supraspinous fossa. Distal attachment of the levator scapulae muscle is also on the medial aspect of the fossa.

Function

The

Dorsal scapular artery also gives off a collateral branch and anastomoses with the suprascapular artery.^[1] Suprascapular nerve from the brachial plexus passes through the suprascapular notch

as it approaches the fossa to supply the supraspinatus muscle. Suprascapular artery and nerve descend together but are separated by the superior transverse scapular ligament at the suprascapular notch.

Hollowing in the supraspinous and the infraspinous area is frequently seen as chronic rotator cuff tear resulting in wasting.^[2] The wasting may be caused by the supraglenoid cyst compressing the suprascapular nerve and causes a loss of innervation to supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles. Such wasting or hollowing can be differentially diagnosed as nerve compression or tendon rupture.