Modified chair method: an easy and efficient reduction method without medication for anterior shoulder dislocation

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Anterior shoulder dislocations are common injuries requiring reduction.
• The traditional Hippocratic method is widely used but lacks comparative evidence for newer techniques.
• The chair method offers a comfortable approach, but its efficacy needs further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate the effectiveness of a modified chair (MOC) reduction method for anterior shoulder dislocations.
• To compare the MOC method with the traditional Hippocratic approach in terms of success rate, pain, and efficiency.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study of 257 patients with anterior shoulder dislocation.
• Patients were divided into two groups: Hippocratic method (116 patients) and MOC method (141 patients).
• Outcomes measured included success rate, reduction time, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, satisfaction, and a novel pain index.

Main Results:

• The MOC group demonstrated a significantly higher success rate (96.5%) compared to the Hippocratic group (84.5%).
• The MOC method resulted in a substantially lower pain index and reduced VAS pain scores.
• Reduction time and patient satisfaction also favored the MOC method.

Conclusions:

• The modified chair (MOC) method is an effective and efficient technique for reducing anterior shoulder dislocations.
• It requires minimal assistance and can be skillfully performed by physicians using their body weight.
• The MOC method is a viable option for shoulder dislocation reduction in emergency settings.