Isolated suprascapular nerve palsy following childbirth: A case study and literature review

Abstract

We report a case of 30-year-old lady presenting with a suprascapular nerve (SSN) injury in the postpartum period. Two days following normal delivery, the patient experienced progressive weakness in her left shoulder, of spontaneous onset. Initially thought to be a rotator cuff tear, further imaging indicated a lesion in the SSN. Isolated SSN palsy is a rare occurrence. Previously reported cases of brachial plexus nerve injuries are due to trauma, traction, iatrogenic and the positioning of the patient during surgery. To our knowledge this is the first case report of SSN injury following normal delivery. In addition to the unusual presentation, our patient completely recovered from the SSN nerve injury without any operative management.