One of the causes of scapular dyskinesia is the retraction of the pectoralis minor muscle. It can be the cause of shoulder pain associated with increased anterior tilt and internal rotation of the shoulder.

Arthroscopic release of the pectoralis minor tendon is effective for shoulder pain, linked to a correction of dyskinesia, resulting in the early disappearance of scapulalgia.

This was a retrospective, monocentric, single-surgeon study on a continuous series of patients with symptomatic shoulder pain, related to subacromial impingement associated with scapular dyskinesia. The series underwent arthroscopic tenotomies of the pectoralis minor between January 2015 and September 2018. Fifty-eight releases were performed to 57 patients (22 males, 35 females), with a mean age of 51.4 years (29–66 years). In all cases, they presented pain on palpation of the upper bundle of the trapezius muscle, and on palpation of the coracoid insertion of the pectoralis minor.

Preoperatively, there were 30 cases of stage 1 scapular dyskinesia and 28 cases of stage 2, with a scapular index measured at 53.84 (41.66–65.78), while the constant score was 41.46 (19–59). Upper trapezius pain was present in 87.7% of cases. The 57 patients were clinically assessed, with a mean follow-up of 8.9 months (6–24 months). Post-operatively, 15 cases (25.8%) of scapulalgia persisted at 2 months of follow-up, while upper trapezius pain was present in only 22.4%. Scapular dyskinesia was no longer present at 2 months in patients without scapulalgia. The scapular index was measured at 60.42 (52.38–70.96), and the constant score at last follow-up was 76.36 (42–92).

Tenotomy of the pectoralis minor improves painful symptomatology and scapular dyskinesia, in cases of subacromial syndrome with retraction of the pectoralis minor muscle.

IV, retrospective study.