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Antonis Kouzelis, Zinon T. Kokkalis, Ioannis Lachanas, Charalampos Matzaroglou, Aikaterini Solomou, Andreas Panagopoulos
(Department of Orthopaedics, University Hospital, Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece)
Am J Case Rep 2020; 21:e923727
DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.923727
BACKGROUND:
Luxatio erecta humeri (LEH) is a rare injury present in only 0.5% of shoulder dislocations. Much of the relevant literature is focused on the initial management and proper reduction techniques, although the prevalence of associated injuries can reach 80%. A case of LEH associated with greater tuberosity (GT) fracture and rotator cuff (RC) tear in a young laborer managed with closed reduction and arthroscopic repair of the labrum and rotator cuff is presented.
CASE REPORT:
A 28-year-old man presented to our hospital with severe pain in his right shoulder after a high-impact motor vehicle accident. Standard anteroposterior radiographs revealed an inferior dislocation (LEH) of the right shoulder and a fracture of the GT. The patient was initially managed with closed reduction under mild intravenous sedation, using a 2-step maneuver followed by arthroscopic evaluation of the joint the next day. During arthroscopic evaluation, an anterior-inferior Bankart lesion, impaction of the humeral head with a minimal displaced GT fracture, and a partial RC tear were identified and successfully treated arthroscopically. The patient had immobilization in a simple sling for 6 weeks and he followed a standard 3-month physiotherapy protocol for rotator cuff, finally regaining almost normal range of shoulder motion at 1 year.
CONCLUSIONS:
Although very good results of non-operative treatment of LEH have been reported in the literature, the co-existence of intra-articular lesions such as labral and rotator cuff tears makes arthroscopic repair an attractive alternative in individual cases.