The dissection of the joints:
The dissection of the joints of the hand:
Starting with the intercarpal and midcarpal joints, make an incision to expose the two rows of carpal bone bound to each other by the palmar, dorsal and interosseous ligaments. Identify the pisohamate and pisocarpal ligaments, that attach to the pisiform bone. Open the carpometacarpal joints dorsally and expose the dorsal carpometacarpal joint. Attempt to identify the palmar carpometacarpal joint. In the dissection of the metacarpophalangeal and the interphalangeal joints try to identify the capsule, the collateral ligaments and the palmar ligaments. The wrist joint has a capsule, cut through it and identify the radial and ulnar collateral ligaments. Expose the articular surface and identify the articular disc at the distal end of the radius.
The dissection of the joints of the hand:
Starting with the intercarpal and midcarpal joints, make an incision to expose the two rows of carpal bone bound to each other by the palmar, dorsal and interosseous ligaments. Identify the pisohamate and pisocarpal ligaments, that attach to the pisiform bone. Open the carpometacarpal joints dorsally and expose the dorsal carpometacarpal joint. Attempt to identify the palmar carpometacarpal joint. In the dissection of the metacarpophalangeal and the interphalangeal joints try to identify the capsule, the collateral ligaments and the palmar ligaments. The wrist joint has a capsule, cut through it and identify the radial and ulnar collateral ligaments. Expose the articular surface and identify the articular disc at the distal end of the radius.
Figure1: The joints of the hand
The dissection of the elbow joint:
Clear the area around the elbow joint by removing all the related structures. The capsule will now be exposed, cut through it. Notice the differences in the thickness between the anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral ligaments. Try to identify the articular surfaces, medial and lateral collateral ligaments, and the annular ligament around the head of the radius. The synovial membrane lines the joint capsule.
Figure2: The elbow joint
The dissection of the shouder joint:
Starting with dissection of the acromioclavicular joint, identify the coracoclavicular and the coracoacromial ligaments. To expose the capsule of the shoulder joint separate and reflect the surrounding muscle tendons. Start with the tendons of coracobrachialis and the short head of biceps brachii. Then cut through the long head of triceps and teres major and reflect them. Finally, expose the muscles of the rotatory cuff ( supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor). Next try to clean the surrounding fascia and incise through the capsule and separate the articular surfaces; where an incomplete articular disc will be observed. Cut through the capsule of the shoulder joint to expose the articular surfaces and identify the attachment of the capsule, and the tendon of the long head of biceps. Separate the head of the humerus from the glenoid cavity of the scapula and identify the glenoid labrum and synovial membrane on its outer surface. Try to identify the superior, middle and inferior glenohumeral ligaments by pulling the head of the humerus laterally.
