Shoulder Injuries – Xrays and Photographs

Xrays and photographs of different kinds of shoulder injuries are presented.

Image 1 – Fracture Upper End Humerus In Child Treated With Closed Reduction and Internal Fixation With K Wires

Fracture upper end humerus are common fractures in children as well in adults and elderly. However, fractures behave differently in different age groups.

While elderly patients can be treated on conservatively The fractures in an adult on the other hand would require operative treatment owing to the increased demands and active life style.

Most of these fractures in children also unite on conservative treatment. Only those fractures which are severely displaced would need an operative intervention.

The following xrays are of 10 years old child who suffered fracture of upper end of humerus after he fell from height while he was flying a kite.

The fracture is severely displaced as can be seen in the picture.
The patient was treated with closed reduction and crossed K wire fixation.

The patient has been followed for 4 weeks and the fracture has united. The Kwires have been removed and patient has been put on physiotherapy for shoulder mobilization.

Author Note

The Kwires are bit protruding inside the joint.

Image 2 – Post Reduction Xray Of Shoulder Dislocation With Fracture of Greater Tuberosity

The xray belongs to 70 years old female who fell in the bathroom and suffered from injury in the right shoulder.
The xray revealed fracture of greater tuberosity along with dislocation of shoulder.

The patient was treated with closed reduction under general anesthesia.

The above xray is taken after the closed reduction. The patient was advised fixation for greater tuberosity fracture but refused.

Image 3 – Undisplaced Fracture Clavicle- AP Xray

An xray of undisplaced fracture of clavicle.

Most of the clavicular fractures are managed by conservative methods.

Image 4 –  Xray Showing Fracture Of Scapula Including Spine Of Scapula

Xray of Shoulder showing fracture of body and spine of scapula

The Arrows have been put to show the scapular fracture.

Image 5 – Clinical Photograph of Acromioclavicular Dislocation

Clinical photograph of acromioclavicular Dislocation in 28 years old male following a fall from bike.

Note the bruises on anterior aspect too.

Image 6 – Xray of Nonunion of Clavicle

53 years old lady came to OPD with history of injury to shoulder two years back. She complained of pain in shoulder region.

Previous documents revealed a fracture of clavicle which eventually did not unite.

A fresh xray was done and revealed an ununited fracture of clavicle with sclerotic fracture ends.

Image 7 – Peroperative Fluoroscopic Image of Operated Fracture Upper Humerus In Six Year Old Child

This is peroperative image taken by C-arm Image Intensifier in a case of fracture of upper end humerus in six year old child.

The fracture is well aligned.

Image 8 – Fracture of Upper End Humerus In Six Years Old Child

Six years old boy fell from roof while flying the kite and injured his shoulder. An xray of the region revealed fracture of upper end of the humerus.

Closed reduction and internal fixation using Kwires was done. Patient is showing good improvement in the follow up visits.

Image 9 – Xray Of Bullet Injury In Shoulder Region

The xray in the picture belongs to 23 year old man who was shot in the market, probably because of ongoing rivalry.

The xray shows a bullet in shoulder region but there is no evidence of any bony injury.
There was no neural or vascular injury.

The bullet was superficial and removed by a surgical procedure.

Patient does not have any residual deficit and has full function of the affected limb.

Bullet injuries cause thermal injuries and the actual damage may not be reflected by size of entry wound. This man was quite fortunate to escape any devastating effect.

Image 11 – Luxatio Erecta – Clinical Photograph and Xrays

Luxatio Erecta is term for inferior dislocation of shoulder and occurs in less than 1% of all shoulder dislocation cases.

Here is clinical photograph and xrays of luxatio erecta in a 35 years old male

This is the xray after injury.

The dislocation was reduced under general anesthesia and following xray is a taken after the reduction of the dislocation.

This shoulder dislocation is called luxatio erecta because the arm appears to be permanently held upward or behind the head. It is caused by a hyper abduction of the arm that forces the humeral head against the acromion.