Distribution of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Patients with a History of Shoulder Trauma Referred to a Tertiary Care Electrodiagnostic Laboratory
Peripheral nerve injury after shoulder trauma is an underestimated complication. The distribution of the affected nerves has been reported to be heterogeneous in previous studies. This study aimed to describe the distribution of peripheral nerve injuries in patients with a history of shoulder trauma...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/11/887 |
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| author | Chul-Hyun Cho Don-Kyu Kim Du Hwan Kim |
| author_facet | Chul-Hyun Cho Don-Kyu Kim Du Hwan Kim |
| author_sort | Chul-Hyun Cho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Peripheral nerve injury after shoulder trauma is an underestimated complication. The distribution of the affected nerves has been reported to be heterogeneous in previous studies. This study aimed to describe the distribution of peripheral nerve injuries in patients with a history of shoulder trauma who were referred to a tertiary care electrodiagnostic laboratory. A retrospective chart review was performed for all cases referred to a tertiary care electrodiagnostic laboratory between March 2012 and February 2020. The inclusion criteria were a history of shoulder trauma and electrodiagnostic evidence of nerve injury. Data on patient demographics, mechanism of injury, degree of weakness, clinical outcomes at the final follow-up, and electrodiagnostic results were retrieved from medical records. Fifty-six patients had peripheral nerve injuries after shoulder trauma. Overall, isolated axillary nerve injury was the most common. A brachial plexus lesion affecting the supraclavicular branches (pan-brachial plexus and upper trunk brachial plexus lesions) was the second most common injury. In cases of shoulder dislocation and proximal humerus fracture, isolated axillary nerve injury was the most common. Among acromioclavicular joint injuries and clavicular fractures, lower trunk brachial plexus injuries and ulnar neuropathy were more common than axillary nerve or upper trunk brachial plexus injuries. Patients with isolated axillary nerve lesions showed a relatively good recovery; those with pan-brachial plexus injuries showed a poor recovery. Our study demonstrated the distribution of peripheral nerve injuries remote from displaced bony structures. Mechanisms other than direct compression by displaced bony structures might be involved in nerve injuries associated with shoulder trauma. Electrodiagnostic tests are useful for determining the extent of nerve damage after shoulder trauma. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:13:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a642cef4c44444f8c2884b38b87c97b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:13:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a642cef4c44444f8c2884b38b87c97b2023-11-20T19:12:53ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182020-10-01101188710.3390/diagnostics10110887Distribution of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Patients with a History of Shoulder Trauma Referred to a Tertiary Care Electrodiagnostic LaboratoryChul-Hyun Cho0Don-Kyu Kim1Du Hwan Kim2Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dongsan Medical Center, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, KoreaDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06973, KoreaDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06973, KoreaPeripheral nerve injury after shoulder trauma is an underestimated complication. The distribution of the affected nerves has been reported to be heterogeneous in previous studies. This study aimed to describe the distribution of peripheral nerve injuries in patients with a history of shoulder trauma who were referred to a tertiary care electrodiagnostic laboratory. A retrospective chart review was performed for all cases referred to a tertiary care electrodiagnostic laboratory between March 2012 and February 2020. The inclusion criteria were a history of shoulder trauma and electrodiagnostic evidence of nerve injury. Data on patient demographics, mechanism of injury, degree of weakness, clinical outcomes at the final follow-up, and electrodiagnostic results were retrieved from medical records. Fifty-six patients had peripheral nerve injuries after shoulder trauma. Overall, isolated axillary nerve injury was the most common. A brachial plexus lesion affecting the supraclavicular branches (pan-brachial plexus and upper trunk brachial plexus lesions) was the second most common injury. In cases of shoulder dislocation and proximal humerus fracture, isolated axillary nerve injury was the most common. Among acromioclavicular joint injuries and clavicular fractures, lower trunk brachial plexus injuries and ulnar neuropathy were more common than axillary nerve or upper trunk brachial plexus injuries. Patients with isolated axillary nerve lesions showed a relatively good recovery; those with pan-brachial plexus injuries showed a poor recovery. Our study demonstrated the distribution of peripheral nerve injuries remote from displaced bony structures. Mechanisms other than direct compression by displaced bony structures might be involved in nerve injuries associated with shoulder trauma. Electrodiagnostic tests are useful for determining the extent of nerve damage after shoulder trauma.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/11/887electrodiagnosisshoulder dislocationproximal humerus fractureclavicle fracturenerve injurybrachial plexus injury |
| spellingShingle | Chul-Hyun Cho Don-Kyu Kim Du Hwan Kim Distribution of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Patients with a History of Shoulder Trauma Referred to a Tertiary Care Electrodiagnostic Laboratory Diagnostics electrodiagnosis shoulder dislocation proximal humerus fracture clavicle fracture nerve injury brachial plexus injury |
| title | Distribution of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Patients with a History of Shoulder Trauma Referred to a Tertiary Care Electrodiagnostic Laboratory |
| title_full | Distribution of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Patients with a History of Shoulder Trauma Referred to a Tertiary Care Electrodiagnostic Laboratory |
| title_fullStr | Distribution of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Patients with a History of Shoulder Trauma Referred to a Tertiary Care Electrodiagnostic Laboratory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distribution of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Patients with a History of Shoulder Trauma Referred to a Tertiary Care Electrodiagnostic Laboratory |
| title_short | Distribution of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Patients with a History of Shoulder Trauma Referred to a Tertiary Care Electrodiagnostic Laboratory |
| title_sort | distribution of peripheral nerve injuries in patients with a history of shoulder trauma referred to a tertiary care electrodiagnostic laboratory |
| topic | electrodiagnosis shoulder dislocation proximal humerus fracture clavicle fracture nerve injury brachial plexus injury |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/11/887 |
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