Ali Utkan1, Anıl Ağar2, Remzi C Fakıoğlu3, Cem Cüneyt Köse1, Bülent Özkurt1

1Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Health Science Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Istanbul Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
3Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hitit University Erol Olçok Training and Research Hospital, Çorum, Turkey

Keywords: Elbow dislocation, inferior shoulder dislocation, luxatio erecta humeri, shoulder dislocation, simultaneous dislocation.

Abstract

This case report presents a 21-year-old male construction worker with ipsilateral inferior shoulder and posterior elbow dislocations, accompanied with other injuries. Such a combination of injury undoubtedly occurs; however, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case. The prompt closed reductions without waiting for anesthesia were accomplished without the help of an assistant using a novel technique. The patient returned to his job with considerable recovery of motion and strength despite his permanent paralysis of the deltoid muscle and he was still employed as a worker after four years. He was abducting his arm by using his accessory muscles, which contribute to abduction when arm is externally rotated. The maneuver described in the report can be used to reduce all inferior shoulder dislocations and it is worth to know that working at a job requiring high level of activity is still possible despite a permanent loss of axillary nerve function.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.