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A Novel Patient‐Specific Landmark‐Guided Approach for Intramuscular Botulinum Neurotoxin Injections Into the Rotator Cuff: A Cadaveric Study

Duru, Dave Osinachukwu, Lee, David Kwan Ryung, Jarvis, Gavin E., Kang, Niel, Chaudhury, Salma and Brassett, Cecilia (2025) A Novel Patient‐Specific Landmark‐Guided Approach for Intramuscular Botulinum Neurotoxin Injections Into the Rotator Cuff: A Cadaveric Study. Clinical Anatomy. ISSN 1098-2353

Item Type: Article

Abstract

Myofascial pain syndrome (MFPS) causes chronic shoulder pain. Supraspinatus and infraspinatus, rotator cuff muscles innervated by the suprascapular nerve, are commonly affected. Intramuscular botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections near motor points (i.e., visible nerve branch entry sites used as a proxy for motor endplates) are an effective treatment for such pain. However, current techniques limit accessibility. This study aimed to develop a patient‐specific, landmark‐guided technique for BoNT delivery into supraspinatus and infraspinatus using scapular dimensions. Ten pairs of cadaveric shoulders (n = 20) were dissected to identify supraspinatus and infraspinatus motor points. Distances from scapular landmarks to these motor points were measured in two axes. These distances were correlated with scapular dimensions (height, spine length, width) using linear regression. Patient‐specific predictive formulae were derived. For validation, landmark‐guided methylene blue dye injections were performed on four additional shoulders using calculated coordinates. For supraspinatus, motor points were predicted using deltoid tubercle and root of the scapular spine (r = 0.58–0.64, p = 0.0016–0.021). For infraspinatus, root of the scapular spine and lateral acromion were used (r = 0.46–0.60, p = 0.0054–0.0500). In all validation specimens, injected dye accurately reached the motor points. This study provides a validated, patient‐specific, landmark‐guided technique for BoNT delivery into the rotator cuff, offering an approach for accessible analgesia.

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Additional Information: ** Article version: VoR ** From Wiley via Jisc Publications Router ** History: received 03-08-2025; rev-recd 26-11-2025; accepted 15-12-2025; epub 23-12-2025. ** Licence for VoR version of this article: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Uncontrolled Keywords: patient‐specific, rotator cuff, myofascial pain, botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), landmark‐guided, suprascapular nerve, variation, cadaveric, motor points, injection
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Identifiers

Item ID: 19785
Identification Number: 10.1002/ca.70068
ISSN: 1098-2353
URI: https://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/19785
Official URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ca.700...

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Dave Osinachukwu Duru: ORCID iD orcid.org/0009-0005-8396-6146
ORCID for Gavin E. Jarvis: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4362-1133

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 30 Jan 2026 12:47
Last Modified: 30 Jan 2026 12:47

Contributors

Author: Dave Osinachukwu Duru ORCID iD
Author: Gavin E. Jarvis ORCID iD
Author: David Kwan Ryung Lee
Author: Niel Kang
Author: Salma Chaudhury
Author: Cecilia Brassett

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing > School of Medicine

Subjects

Sciences > Health Sciences
Sciences > Pharmacy and Pharmacology
Sciences

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