Unusual origin of the levator scapulae muscle from mastoid process

Pranit N. Chotai; Marios Loukas; R. Shane Tubbs

doi:10.1007/s00276-015-1508-6

Unusual origin of the levator scapulae muscle from mastoid process

Pranit N. Chotai
, Marios Loukas
, R. Shane Tubbs (Lead / Corresponding author)

Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Anatomic variations of the neck musculature are uncommon and incidentally found during cadaveric dissection. The levator scapulae muscle is found in the floor of the posterior cervical triangle. It connects the axial skeleton with the superior appendicular skeleton and acts as a scapular elevator. Normally, it originates from the transverse processes of first four cervical vertebrae and inserts into the superomedial border of the scapula. During a routine cadaveric dissection, we encountered an additional slip of the left levator scapulae originating from the left mastoid process. This muscle is frequently implicated in the etiopathology of neck and shoulder pain. Knowledge of this variation is not only interesting to anatomists, but also to surgeons operating on the posterior neck and physicians managing patients with cervical or shoulder pain.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1277-1281
Number of pages	5
Journal	Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy
Volume	37
Issue number	10
Early online date	16 Jun 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-015-1508-6
Publication status	Published - Dec 2015

Keywords

Cervical pain
Levator scapulae
Mastoid
Neck muscle
Unusual origin
Variation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Anatomy
Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Surgery

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10.1007/s00276-015-1508-6

Cite this

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title = "Unusual origin of the levator scapulae muscle from mastoid process",

abstract = "Anatomic variations of the neck musculature are uncommon and incidentally found during cadaveric dissection. The levator scapulae muscle is found in the floor of the posterior cervical triangle. It connects the axial skeleton with the superior appendicular skeleton and acts as a scapular elevator. Normally, it originates from the transverse processes of first four cervical vertebrae and inserts into the superomedial border of the scapula. During a routine cadaveric dissection, we encountered an additional slip of the left levator scapulae originating from the left mastoid process. This muscle is frequently implicated in the etiopathology of neck and shoulder pain. Knowledge of this variation is not only interesting to anatomists, but also to surgeons operating on the posterior neck and physicians managing patients with cervical or shoulder pain.",

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AU - Chotai, Pranit N.

AU - Loukas, Marios

AU - Tubbs, R. Shane

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AB - Anatomic variations of the neck musculature are uncommon and incidentally found during cadaveric dissection. The levator scapulae muscle is found in the floor of the posterior cervical triangle. It connects the axial skeleton with the superior appendicular skeleton and acts as a scapular elevator. Normally, it originates from the transverse processes of first four cervical vertebrae and inserts into the superomedial border of the scapula. During a routine cadaveric dissection, we encountered an additional slip of the left levator scapulae originating from the left mastoid process. This muscle is frequently implicated in the etiopathology of neck and shoulder pain. Knowledge of this variation is not only interesting to anatomists, but also to surgeons operating on the posterior neck and physicians managing patients with cervical or shoulder pain.

KW - Cervical pain

KW - Levator scapulae

KW - Mastoid

KW - Neck muscle

KW - Unusual origin

KW - Variation

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84947612378

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DO - 10.1007/s00276-015-1508-6

M3 - Article

C2 - 26074045

SN - 0930-1038

VL - 37

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EP - 1281

JO - Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy

JF - Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy

IS - 10

ER -

Unusual origin of the levator scapulae muscle from mastoid process

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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