A patient presents with shoulder pain and reduced range of motion following an epileptic seizure. What typical injury should you be aware of when examining the patient’s radiographs to avoid missing it?

A patient presents with shoulder pain and reduced range of motion following an epileptic seizure. What typical injury should you be aware of when examining the patient's radiographs to avoid missing it?

The correct answer is C. Posterior shoulder dislocation is not uncommon in patients who have had a seizure or electrical injury because the intense muscle contractions can cause the humeral head to be forcefully driven posteriorly. This diagnosis can be easy to miss because posterior dislocations don't display the dramatic physical changes typically associated with anterior shoulder dislocations and standard anterior-posterior X-rays may not show the injury clearly. An interesting finding like the light bulb sign might be present. Carefully examining the additional "Y" view, an axillary view is crucial in order not to miss this injury and avoid complications like avascular necrosis of the humeral head or chronic shoulder instability.

Verified by Dimitar Popov