Ulnar nerve injury due to lateral traction device during shoulder arthroscopy: Was it avoidable?

Most of the nerve injuries reported during shoulder arthroscopy in a beach chair, or lateral position is related to inappropriate patient positioning or excess traction. The lateral decubitus position is more vulnerable for traction-related neuropraxia. The present case serves as an important lesson...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Formosan journal of surgery : the official publication of the Surgical Association ... [et al.] 2017-11, Vol.50 (6), p.220-222
Main Authors: Pandey, Vivek, Madi, Sandesh, Acharya, Kiran
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arthroscopy
lateral decubitus
lateral jack
neuropraxia
ulnar nerve
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Summary:Most of the nerve injuries reported during shoulder arthroscopy in a beach chair, or lateral position is related to inappropriate patient positioning or excess traction. The lateral decubitus position is more vulnerable for traction-related neuropraxia. The present case serves as an important lesson from an avoidable situation of “having a one track mind” of the surgical team during the arthroscopic repair of shoulder instability performed in the lateral decubitus position. The operating surgeon must supervise the appropriate positioning of the patient on operation table and adequate padding of vulnerable bony points before beginning of shoulder arthroscopy to prevent any position-related nerve injuries. This is probably the first case to illustrate an unusual cause of ulnar nerve compression particularly related to the use of an additional traction device in the arthroscopic repair of shoulder instability performed in lateral decubitus position, which has not been previously defined.
ISSN:1682-606X
DOI:10.4103/fjs.fjs_12_17