Deltoid contracture mimicking shoulder dislocation in a 7-year-old boy

Contracture of the deltoid muscle, a relatively uncommon disorder in children, can be caused by repeated intramuscular injection, trauma, or congenital disease. The typical clinical manifestations of deltoid contracture (i.e., a palpable fibrous cord within the deltoid muscle, abduction contracture of the shoulder, winged scapula, and skin dimpling over the fibrous bands), however, may be atypical or even lacking, thus, leading to misdiagnosis. The procedure going from misdiagnosis to recognition of the correct diagnosis is reviewed in a 7-year-old boy with deltoid contracture.