[Shoulder stiffness and metal allergy--a possible link? A single case report]

The authors report on the link between shoulder stiffness following surgery for a traumatically recurrent dislocation of the shoulder and an allergy to the metal bone clamp used. In addition to a review of the literature on the problems of metal allergies and their verification, the relationship between metal allergy and the stiffening of a shoulder due to an allergy and the stiffening of a shoulder due to an allergy to nickel, hitherto unknown to the present authors, is discussed.