[Preferential sites for rupture of the long head of the biceps tendon]

The extreme stress on the long head of the biceps tendon is defined by its specific anatomical situation with near contact to the rotator cuff, to the sulcus intertubercularis and to the acromion. We took 74 specimens from cadavera and studied the macromorphological and cross-sectional anatomy to analyze changes preceding rupture of the biceps tendon. Degenerative tendon alterations with disorganized collagen fibers and large mucoid deposits occurred especially at the distal sulcus bicipitalis and near the origin of the tendon at the superior part of the glenoid labrum. The found degenerative histological alterations are possibly precursor of tendon rupture near to the distal sulcus or precursor of the so called "SLAP"-lesions.