IPSILATERAL SIMULTANEOUS SHOULDER AND ELBOW DISLOCATION a case report

Abstract

Ipsilateral dislocation of the shoulder and elbow joints is a rare and complex injury. Only six patients have been reported in the international literature with ipsilateral dislocation of the shoulder and elbow. Here, we reported a 48 year-old woman who suffered ipsilateral shoulder and elbow dislocation. The patient first presented to a regional hospital and the radiographs taken following the initial evaluation revealed posterolateral dislocation of right elbow. The reduction of the dislocated elbow was performed at that facility. However, since no radiographic examination of the injured shoulder had been carried out, the dislocation injury of the shoulder was missed. Three days later the patient presented to Tepecik Training and Research Hospital emergency Department (Izmir-Turkey), complaining of shoulder pain. Radiographs showed the missed anterior dislocation of right shoulder, which had been reduced under general anaesthesia. At final follow-up, 2.5 years later, the elbow and the shoulder were pain free and had full range of motion. Following a high energy trauma in upper extremities, radiographic examination of the shoulder, elbow and wrists must be performed in case of suspicion.