J. Jerosch et al., ROLE OF THE GLENOHUMERAL LIGAMENTS IN ACT IVE PROTECTION OF SHOULDER STABILITY, Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und Ihre Grenzgebiete, 133(1), 1995, pp. 67-71
We harvested the joint capsule, the glenohumeral ligaments, and the co
racohumeral ligaments of 8 fresh formalined shoulder specimen. We made
use of the van Gieson technique and a special silver impregnation for
staining peripheral axons according to Nowotny. The ligaments were cu
t into slices with a thickness of 15 mu m. In total we performed 10000
cuts. We discovered axons in all ligaments. These axons had no relati
on to vessels or vessel walls. Besides these axonal structures we dete
cted type II mechanoreceptors (Pacini receptor). Clinical Significance
: The neural structures discovered in the glenohumeral capsule are of
clinical importance especially in consideration of the high account of
recurrent shoulder dislocation and concomitant Bankart lesions. Recep
tors located in the glenohumeral ligaments might control the stabilizi
ng shoulder musculature. On this premises, rupture or detachment of th
ese ligaments will lead to a loss of the feedback mechanism.