Scapula of a Human Male Containing Multiple Fractures, Posterior View

Description

Seen from the posterior thorax, the male scapula sits lateral to the thoracic spine and overlies the upper ribs, with the scapular spine running transversely to broaden into the acromion laterally and the inferior angle tapering caudally along the chest wall. Multiple fracture lines radiate through the narrow surgical neck around the glenoid cavity, extending toward the lateral border and into the body of the scapula. The glenoid lies at the lateral angle, just anterior to the scapular neck, while the medial (vertebral) border remains closest to the spinous processes. Fractures through the scapular neck and glenoid region usually follow high-energy trauma and carry practical implications for shoulder stability because this is where the humeral head’s articular partner and the attachment sites for the coracoclavicular and capsulolabral complex converge. Displacement patterns often reflect the pull of surrounding muscles, including infraspinatus and teres minor on the posterior surface and the rotator cuff across the glenohumeral joint, so the fracture configuration helps predict functional deficit and guides fixation planning. Look for associated injuries. Rib fractures, pulmonary contusion, and brachial plexus or axillary artery involvement commonly travel with this mechanism. Use this posterior scapula fracture view for orthopedic trauma teaching (scapular body versus neck versus glenoid fracture classification), radiology correlation when comparing to scapular Y and axillary lateral projections, and operative planning references for a posterior (Judet) approach to the scapular neck and glenoid. It also fits well in emergency medicine and anatomy courses that tie shoulder girdle landmarks to trauma patterns. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.