Reducing shoulder dislocation without anaesthesia or assistant: Validation of a new reduction manoeuvre

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Emergency Medicine
• Trauma Surgery

Background:

• Shoulder dislocation is a common major joint injury, accounting for 60% of such dislocations globally.
• Numerous reduction techniques exist, but none are universally effective, necessitating multiple approaches.
• An ideal reduction method should be simple, reproducible, painless, and performable without assistance or anesthesia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel anterior shoulder reduction technique.
• To determine if the new method meets the criteria for an ideal reduction technique.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving patients with primary anterior shoulder dislocation within three days of injury.
• The novel reduction technique was applied by orthopaedic residents.
• Treatment failure was defined as requiring a second reduction attempt or anesthesia; time, pain, and complications were recorded.

Main Results:

• The study included 61 patients (77% male, mean age 37 years).
• The novel technique achieved a 95.08% success rate on the first attempt, with the remaining cases reduced on the second attempt.
• No anesthesia was required, average reduction time was 130.5 seconds, and no iatrogenic complications occurred.

Conclusions:

• The novel shoulder reduction technique is effective, safe, and easy to learn and perform in emergency settings.
• Its simplicity, painless nature, and high success rate make it a strong candidate for primary use in anterior shoulder dislocations.