Abstract
Absence of the long head of the biceps tendon is a rare anomaly particularly when it occurs bilaterally. We present the magnetic resonance and arthroscopy findings in a patient with bilateral congenital absence of the long head of the biceps who presented with bilateral shoulder pain. Identification of a shallow or absent intertubercular groove may aid in differentiating congenital absence of the long head of the biceps from a traumatic tendon rupture.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bergman RA, Thompson SA, Afifi AK, Saadeh FA. Muscles and Nervous System. In: Bergman RA, Thompson SA, Afifi AK, editors. Compendium of human anatomic variations. Baltimore: Urban & Schwarzenberg; 1988. p. 10–12. 139–142.
Rodriguez-Niedenfuhr M, Vazquez T, Choi D, Parkin I, Sanudo JR. Supernumerary humeral heads of the biceps brachii muscle revisited. Clin Anat 2003; 16: 197–203.
Nakatani T, Tanaka S, Mizukami S. Bilateral four-headed biceps brachii muscles: the median nerve and brachial artery passing through a tunnel formed by a muscle slip from the accessory head. Clin Anat 1998; 11: 209–212.
Vazquez T, Rodriguez-Niedenfuhr M, Parkin I, Sanudo JR. A rare case of a four-headed biceps brachii muscle with a double piercing by the musculocutaneous nerve. Surg Radiol Anat 2003; 25: 462–464.
Abu-Hijleh MF. Three-headed biceps brachii muscle associated with duplicated musculocutaneous nerve. Clin Anat 2005; 18: 376–379.
Franco JC, Knapp TP, Mandelbaum BR. Congenital absence of the long head of the biceps tendon. A case report. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2005; 87: 1584–1586.
Smith EL, Matzkin EG, Kim DH, Harpstrite JK, Kan DM. Congenital absence of the long head of the biceps brachii tendon as a VATER association. Am J Orthop 2002; 31: 452–454.
Ghalayini SRA, Board TN, Srinivasan MS. Anatomic variations in the long head of biceps: Contribution to shoulder dysfunction. Arthroscopy 2007; 23: 1012–1018.
Sayeed SA, Shah JP, Collins MS, Dahm DL. Absence of the long head of the biceps tendon associated with glenoid dysplasia and posterior labral tear. Clin Anat 2008; 21: 728–732.
Glueck DA, Mair SD, Johnson DL. Shoulder instability with absence of the long head of the biceps tendon. Arthroscopy 2003; 19: 787–789.
Gardner E, Gray DJ. Prenatal development of the human shoulder and acromioclavicular joints. Am J Anat 1953; 92: 219–276.
Beall DP, Williamson EE, Ly JQ, Adkins MC, Emery RL, Jones TP, et al. Association of biceps tendon tears with rotator cuff abnormalities: degree of correlation with tears of the anterior and superior portions of the rotator cuff. Am J Roentgenol 2003; 180: 633–639.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Koplas, M.C., Winalski, C.S., Ulmer, W.H. et al. Bilateral congenital absence of the long head of the biceps tendon. Skeletal Radiol 38, 715–719 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-009-0688-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-009-0688-8