Nerve injuries: suprascapular nerve entrapment: practice question

A Orthopaedics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Orthopaedics · Nerve injuries: suprascapular nerve entrapment

Sample item

A volleyball player has posterior shoulder pain and wasting of infraspinatus only, with normal supraspinatus bulk. Where is the nerve entrapped?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Spinoglenoid notch

Entrapment at the spinoglenoid notch, beyond the branch to supraspinatus, affects only infraspinatus, often due to a ganglion or repetitive overhead use. Compression at the suprascapular notch affects both supraspinatus and infraspinatus.

Option by option

  • A. Spinoglenoid notch (correct)

    Correct. A distal lesion at the spinoglenoid notch spares supraspinatus.

  • B. Thoracic outlet

    Thoracic outlet syndrome involves the brachial plexus and subclavian vessels.

  • C. Suprascapular notch

    The suprascapular notch lesion affects both muscles.

  • D. Quadrilateral space

    The quadrilateral space contains the axillary nerve.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is A, Spinoglenoid notch. Entrapment at the spinoglenoid notch, beyond the branch to supraspinatus, affects only infraspinatus, often due to a ganglion or repetitive overhead use.

Why is "Thoracic outlet" not the answer?

Thoracic outlet syndrome involves the brachial plexus and subclavian vessels.

Why is "Suprascapular notch" not the answer?

The suprascapular notch lesion affects both muscles.

Why is "Quadrilateral space" not the answer?

The quadrilateral space contains the axillary nerve.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nerve injuries: suprascapular nerve entrapment in Orthopaedics. Compression at the suprascapular notch affects both supraspinatus and infraspinatus.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Nerve injuries: suprascapular nerve entrapment?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.