Luxatio Erecta

Epidemiology

 

Rare, inferior shoulder dislocation

 

Aetiology

 

Forced abduction injury

 

Pathology

 

Shoulder is hyperabducted

- humeral shaft abuts the acromion

- humeral head is levered inferiorly

- tears inferior capusle

 

Head becomes locked inferior to glenoid

 

May button hole through inferior capsule

- becomes irreducible

- need open reduction

 

Has tear rotator cuff / GT fracture

 

Associations

 

Tear RC

GT fracture

AXN palsy

Thrombosis axillary artery

 

Clinical Presentation

 

Patient has shoulder abducted

- has elbow flexed

- elbow resting on head

 

Reduction

 

Conscious sedation

- increased abduction initially

- then adduct

 

Post Reduction

 

MRI

- assess RC / biceps

 

AXN

- usually recovers