Examining the Dimensions of the Bicipital Groove: A Human Cadaveric Study

Research Objectives: To explore the dimensions of the bicipital groove (BG) in terms of depth, length, and width to better understand human anatomy and assist in surgeon-decision making and patient education on the possible etiology and risk factors for bicep pathology.

Design: Human cadaveric study

Setting: Cadaver lab

Participants: A total of 20 human cadavers were available. Seventeen cadavers (nine male and eight female; median age of death: 88.0 years; age of death range: 66.0 - 97.0 years) were included in this cadaveric study. Three cadavers were excluded due to significant osteoarthritis resulting in severe disfiguration of the BG.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures: Dimensions of the BG (depth, length, and width) in millimeters (mm). Statistical comparisons were done between male and female measurements using the independent-samples Mann-Whitney U test due to the small sample size.

Results: The median width of the BG at the narrowest point was 4.3 mm (mean: 4.7 ± 1.4 mm) with male cadavers having a significantly wider BG as compared to female cadavers (median: 5.0 mm versus 3.7 mm; p=0.006). The median depth of the BG was 5.1 mm (mean: 5.0 ± 0.7 mm) with no statistically significant difference between male and female cadavers (median: 4.8 mm versus 5.3 mm; p=0.370). The median length of the BG was 25.1 mm (mean: 25.1 ± 3.3 mm) with no statistically significant difference between male and female cadavers (median: 25.4 mm versus 23.9 mm; p=0.673).

Conclusions: This study advances the understanding of BG morphology by emphasizing the critical dimensions of the BG. By offering a measurement of the narrowest part of the BG and recognizing the importance of differences between males and females, this study represents improvement over previous research in the field. These findings hold crucial clinical significance by setting a foundation for future clinical studies that can help guide surgeons when assessing and treating patients with biceps-related conditions. Further research can build upon findings to assess the impact of BG morphology as a risk factor for bicep pathologies and impact patient care.

Author(s) Disclosures: John Martin Leland III declare(s) personal fees from Mitek.