BILATERAL POSTERIOR FRACTURE-DISLOCATION OF THE SHOULDER PRESENTING AS A DISSECTING ANEURYSM OF THE THORACIC AORTA: AN UNCOMMON PRESENTATION OF A RARE INJURY

Abstract Posterior dislocation or fracture-dislocation of the shoulder is a rare entity, and is often missed in the Emergency Department. The causes include a tonic-clonic seizure, electrocution, and major trauma. The clinical presentations are often misleading and thus the correct diagnosis may be delayed. Proper imaging of the shoulder in suspected cases is important in making the correct diagnosis. We report a rare case of bilateral posterior fracture-dislocation of the shoulders, which presented in the Emergency Department with clinical features suggestive of a dissecting aneurysm of the thoracic aorta. A review of the relevant literature is also presented.