Missed fractures of the greater tuberosity.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord
; 19(1): 313, 2018 Aug 31.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30170571
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Fractures of the greater tuberosity may result from a variety of mechanisms. Missed injury remains a persistent problem, both from a clinical and medico-legal point-of-view. Few studies on this topic are available in the literature. We present the clinical and radiological findings of a consecutive series of 17 patients who were diagnosed and managed with undisplaced greater tuberosity fractures.METHODS:
A retrospective study of a consecutive series of 17 patients who sustained an occult greater tuberosity fracture were performed. Patients sustained a traumatic occult greater tuberosity fracture, underwent shoulder radiographs after trauma in 5 days and they were diagnosed as negative by a consultant radiologist. All patients received a standard assessment using MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans Each patient was evaluated for arm dominance, trauma history, duration and type of symptoms and post-treatment Oxford Shoulder Score.RESULTS:
At the final follow up the mean OSS (Oxford Shoulder Score) was 38.3 (range 17-46; SD 9.11). Three patients required a glenohumeral joint injection for post-traumatic pain and stiffness and three patients required subacromial decompression for post-traumatic impingement.CONCLUSIONS:
Though undisplaced greater tuberosity fracture can be managed non-operatively with good results, patients with persistent post-traumatic shoulder pain, tenderness and limitation of shoulder function warrant investigation with MRI to identify occult fractures. Prompt identification of these fractures can facilitate patient treatment and counselling, avoiding a source of patient dissatisfaction and litigation.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Shoulder Fractures
/
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
BMC Musculoskelet Disord
Journal subject:
FISIOLOGIA
/
ORTOPEDIA
Year:
2018
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy