Case #3

Case #1

• Anterior shoulder dislocation with an acute Hill-Sachs impaction fracture

• Anterior shoulder dislocation with Hill-Sachs fracture

• Shoulder dislocations come in three major varieties: anterior, posterior, and inferior, with anterior being by far the most common. Here are some radiographic clues for each type of dislocation:
  • Anterior: humeral head inferior and medial to the glenoid
  • Posterior: humeral head may appear correctly positioned relative to the glenoid on AP view. Shoulder will classically be fixed in internal rotation (the so-called “lightbulb” sign)
  • Inferior: humeral head inferior to the glenoid with the arm often fixed in abduction (raised over the head, aka “luxatio erecta”)
• Associated fractures:
  • Hill-Sachs
    • Occurs along the posterolateral humeral head where the humeral head impacts on the glenoid
    • Best seen on internal rotation views
    • Reverse Hill-Sachs from posterior dislocation -> impaction fracture of the inferomedial humeral head, which results in a “trough” sign on radiographs
  • Bony Bankart
    • Anterior rim of the glenoid, often difficult to see on radiographs
    • Reverse Bankart (posterior rim) with posterior shoulder dislocation

Images