[Bilateral dislocation fracture of the head of the humerus. Arthroplasty and/or arthrodesis]

[Simultaneous bilateral ventral and dorsal shoulder dislocation following an epileptic convulsion--a rare combination of injuries]

We report about a 29 year old male patient who had a simultaneous bilateral ventral and dorsal shoulder dislocation. The dislocation happened during a first incident of an epileptic convulsion, previously not diagnosed. On the right shoulder following a closed reduction manoeuvre a dislocation fracture was seen. It needed operative open reduction and fixation with angular stable plate osteosynthesis. The locked dorsal shoulder dislocation on the left was operated dorsally secondary via a dorsal approach. In a first step the reduction was carried out and in the same intervention the humeral head defect was lifted and supported in a closed technique under radiographic control.6 months postoperatively the patient was free of pain in both shoulder joints. The range of motion was unimpeded on the left and only with slight deficits in abduction and anteversion on the right. The diagnostics and the treatment strategy for this rare injury combination are described critically in this paper.