Arthroscopic Reduction of Acute Traumatic Posterior Glenohumeral Dislocation and Anatomic Neck Fracture Without Internal Fixation: 2-Year Follow-up

Fracture of the anatomic neck of the humerus is often associated with glenohumeral dislocation. One of the main consequences of anatomic neck fracture is necrosis. Hertel et al showed that with intra-articular fracture of the humeral head, anatomic neck fracture and concurrent disruption of the medial vascular hinge lead to a high risk of necrosis. Loofburrow was the first, in 1905, to describe a case of an attempted open reduction of a fracture of the anatomic neck. Galanakis et al reported on a posterior glenohumeral dislocation associated with a fracture of the anatomic neck that underwent open reduction and internal fixation. At 10 months, no avascular necrosis was identified on radiographs or magnetic resonance imaging. Varghese et al were the first, to our knowledge, to report arthroscopic treatment of posterior glenohumeral dislocation associated with a fracture of the anatomic neck using percutaneous screw fixation. We report a clinical case of posterior glenohumeral dislocation with fracture of the anatomic neck reduced arthroscopically and treated without internal fixation.