Bilateral Anterior Shoulder Dislocation with Symmetrical Greater Tuberosity Fracture following Seizure

Majority of bilateral shoulder dislocations are posterior. Simultaneous bilateral anterior shoulder dislocations and bilateral anterior fracture-dislocations are rare and mostly of traumatic origin. We present a rare case of bilateral anterior shoulder dislocation with symmetrical greater tuberosity fracture following an episode of seizure with an unusual injury mechanism which was treated conservatively.

A 45 year old office worker presented to the Casualty of our hospital with bilateral anterior shoulder dislocations with greater tuberosity fractures following an episode of seizure. Both shoulders were reduced by Kocher manoeuvre using total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) & were strapped to the chest for 6 weeks. At the end of 1 year follow-up, there were no reasonable loss of strength or restriction of motion and the shoulders were defined as stable.

Although bilateral shoulder dislocations are mostly posterior, bilateral anterior dislocations may not be as rare as previously thought and are frequently missed by the orthopaedic residents in the casualty department. Further to the best of our knowledge, our case represents the first case of bilateral anterior shoulder dislocation with symmetrical greater tuberosity fracture with an unusual mechanism of injury following an episode of seizure in a young male patient that was successfully managed by conservative means.