Irreducible Acute Anterior Dislocation of the Shoulder

Abstract

A 91-year-old woman presented with an acute anterior dislocation of the shoulder which could not be reduced by closed manipulation. Open reduction demonstrated a fresh dislocation which could not be reduced until the subscapularis muscle was divided. Only 2 previous cases of irreducible anterior dislocation of the shoulder seem to have been reported in the recent or readily available literature.