Contralateral Fracture-Dislocation of the Shoulder Due to Electric Shock

Abstract

Electrical injuries are relatively common and can produce various types of adverse effects on organs, but injuries to the musculoskeletal system are less frequent. Bone injuries can involve both long and flat bones and they encompass several types: osteonecrosis, dislocation, and fracture. Cases of shoulder dislocation with fracture have been reported in the literature; the mechanism is linked to the tetanizing effect from the alternating current flow through the shoulder without a fall or a violent trauma. Posterior dislocation is the most common shoulder injury. We report the case of an anterior fracture-dislocation of the shoulder contralateral to the entry point and we emphasize that any pain or functional impotence in the context of electric shock, even when it’s distant from the entry point, should trigger suspicion of bone injury.