Axillary nerve injury in acute shoulder dislocation

ABSTRACT

Peripheral nerve injuries are known complications of shoulder dislocation. The incidence, clinical features, and prognosis of nerve injuries were studied in 17 male patients with acute anterior shoulder dislocation. Electromyographic [EMG] and clinical examination revealed partial axillary nerve injury in 9 patients and complete injury in 8 patients. There was, however, no evidence of any other nerve injury. Furthermore, EMG examination, within 14 weeks after the day of dislocation, showed that spontaneous reinnervation was the rule in all patients. This EMG finding was associated with improvement in the deltoid muscle power. Thus, this would suggest a good prognosis