Bifurcate origin of the long head of the biceps tendon

This report illustrates an anatomic variation of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle. A bifurcate tendon origin attaching separately onto the supraglenoid tubercle and the posterosuperior capsulolabral tissue is described. The clinical histories and arthroscopic identification of this anatomic finding observed in 2 patients are reviewed. Recognition of the described anatomic variant at arthroscopy can aid the shoulder surgeon in focusing treatment on the actual pathology and not on aberrant anatomy. Several other anatomic variations in the origin of the long head of the biceps brachii have been previously described. The role of a bifurcate biceps tendon origin in the function of the shoulder is unclear.