The Use of a Suprascapular Nerve Block to Facilitate the Reduction of an Anterior Shoulder Dislocation: An Alternative for Elderly and Patients With Cardiopulmonary Comorbidities?

Authors

Getaw Worku Hassen, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Dahlia Bergmann-Dumont, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Anisha Duvvi, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Samantha Sudol, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Danny Choy, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Theresa Yeo, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Avinash Viswanath, Department of Emergency Medicine, Harlem Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Estrella Roffe, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Cei Lim Kim, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Ali Elnatour, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Mauricio Gonzalez Arias, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.
Hossein Kalantari, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College (NYMC), Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, New York.

Author Type(s)

Faculty

Journal Title

The Journal of Emergency Medicine

First Page

265

Last Page

271

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-1-2022

Department

Emergency Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Anterior shoulder dislocation is a common presentation to the emergency department (ED). Dislocations are spontaneous or traumatic. Generally, a reduction is performed under procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA). Other approaches include the use of intra-articular lidocaine or, in rare instances, nerve blocks. Here we discuss the case of a 66-year-old female patient who presented with left shoulder pain and limited range of motion after a fall. After discussing potential treatment options to reduce the dislocation, the patient agreed to a nerve block. DISCUSSION: The dislocation was reduced successfully with a suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) without complications. The duration of the patient's ED stay was shorter than those who had received PSA. CONCLUSIONS: SSNB could be an alternative method for shoulder dislocation reduction, particularly for patients who are obese, older, or have cardiopulmonary comorbidities.

Recommended Citation

Hassen, G. W., Bergmann-Dumont, D., Duvvi, A., Sudol, S., Choy, D., Yeo, T., Viswanath, A., Roffe, E., Kim, C. L., Elnatour, A., Arias, M. G., & Kalantari, H. (2022). The Use of a Suprascapular Nerve Block to Facilitate the Reduction of an Anterior Shoulder Dislocation: An Alternative for Elderly and Patients With Cardiopulmonary Comorbidities?. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 63 (2), 265-271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2022.04.010