POSTERIOR SHOULDER DISLOCATIONS

Course overview

THE SHOULDER GIRDLE IS A COMPLEX ARTICULATION CONNECTING THE UPPER EXTREMITY TO THE AXIAL SKELETON. THE GLENOHUMERAL JOINT OF THE SHOULDER IS THE MOST COMMONLY DISLOCATED JOINT IN THE BODY AND ACCOUNTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 50% OF ALL MAJOR DISLOCATIONS SEEN IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. POSTERIOR SHOULDER DISLOCATIONS ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 2% TO 5% OF ALL SHOULDER DISLOCATIONS. RECURRENT POSTERIOR DISLOCATIONS OCCUR IN 30% OF PATIENTS AND PREDISPOSE THE JOINT TO DEGENERATIVE CHANGES. DISLOCATIONS IN A POSTERIOR DIRECTION CAN BE DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE, SO A HIGH INDEX OF SUSPICION SHOULD BE MAINTAINED WHEN THE TYPICAL HISTORY AND FINDINGS ON THE PHYSICAL EXAM ARE PRESENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF POSTERIOR SHOULDER DISLOCATIONS, AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTER-PROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.