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Dead Arm Syndrome

  • Sudden paralyzing pain & weakness in the arm in young athletes with GHJ instability
  • Transient subluxation in elevation & external rotation

Classification

  • Two categories
    • Aware of subluxation
    • Unaware of subluxation
  • Often misdiagnosed as other shoulder pathology or cervical lesion

Associations

  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
    • 30% of patients had coexistent TOS
    • Due to altered kinetics of the Scapulothoracic Joint
    • Resultant neurovascular compromise

Clinical

  • History of trauma
  • Positive Apprehension Test
  • 64% Bankart lesion
  • thoracic outlet syndrome
  • transient radial pulse obliteration In shoulder external rotation & abduction

Management

  • surgical stabilization
  • advanced cases may require surgical NV decompression