Bursae of The Shoulder

A "bursa" is a fluid-filled sac, lined with synovial membranes, that occurs near a joint. There are several bursae associated with the shoulder joint. The major ones include the "subscapular bursa," located between the joint capsule and the tendon of the subscapularis muscle; the "subdeltoid bursa," between the joint capsule and the deep surface of the deltoid muscle; the "subacromial bursa," between the joint capsule and the under surface of the acromion process of the scapula (shoulder blade); and the "subcoracoid bursa," between the joint capsule and the coracoid process of the scapula. Of these, the subscapular bursa usually is continuous with the synovial cavity of the joint cavity, and although the others do not communicate with the joint cavity, they may be connected to each other. All joints contain bursa, however, the shoulder has eight different bursa (the most of any joint in the body).