Case Report

Anterior Shoulder Dislocation with Brachial Plexus Injury (Case Report and Review of the Literature)

  • Mahmut KÖMÜRCÜ
  • Ümit Hıdır ULAŞ
  • Taner ÖZDEMİR
  • Kenan KOCA
  • Ali Sabri ATEŞALP

Received Date: Accepted Date: 11.10.2002 Gulhane Med J 2002;44(4):453-456

The incidence of nerve injury in relevant anterior dislocation of the shoulder is approximately 45%. Mixt brachial plexus injuries are frequent than isolated nerve injuries. Generally axillary, suprascapular, musculocutaneous and radial nerves involve to combined lesions although most common isolated nerve injury is axillary nerve. Reason of the nerve injury is usually a fracture, haematoma, and edema in anterior shoulder dislocation. Some part of brachial plexus injuries occur the reason of reduction of the shoulder. Our case did not reveal any pathologic consideration such as haematoma and edema with radiological examination of the shoulder (X-ray, CT, MRI) and also brachial plexus MRI. We thought that, it occurred with traction injury during dislocation. Meticulous clini-cal examination and extensive electrophysiological assessment require for exact diagnosis. Brachial plexus EMG is essential for evaluation and follow-up of the patient who suffered from nerve injury which associated with shoulder fracture or dislocation. In this article, we analyzed diagnostic modalities and pitfalls, mechanisms of injury and various treatment methods in anterior shoulder dislocation with nerve injury. We also emphasized that modulation of the rehabilitation program only possible with early detection of the nerve lesions.

Keywords: Anterior Shoulder Dislocation, Brachial Plexus Injury