Anatomical Spaces of the Shoulder

Courtesy: Prof Nabil Ebraheim

 

Important anatomical spaces of shoulder

Quadrangular space:

Boundaries:

• Superior: teres minor
• Inferior: teres major
• Medial : long head of triceps
• Lateral : surgical neck of humerus.

It contains the axillary nerve and posterior humeral circumflex artery.

Axillary nerve can be injured during surgery /fracture/ dislocation
surgical dissection should above teres minor muscle to avoid axillary nerve injury.

2.Upper Triangular space:
boundaries:

• teres minor
• teres major
• long head of triceps.

Contains circumflex scapular artery

3. Lower triangular space :

Boundaries :

• teres major
• long head of triceps
• humeral shaft
  contains deep branch of brachial artery and radial nerve