Biceps Tendon Dislocation
Biceps Tendon Dislocation. The injuries that people can sustain in a motor vehicle accident are wide and varied. When someone is involved in a motor vehicle collision, numerous mechanisms could lead to a severe or even fatal traumatic event. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- On average, people in the United States spend more than a million nights in hospitals every year due to injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision.
- The total medical costs for crash injuries sustained in 2012 totaled between 15 and 20 billion dollars.
- The vast majority of these costs were accrued in the immediate aftermath of car accidents.
- Many people who sustain injuries in an auto accident require long-term medical care for complications that result from their injuries.
When people sustain injuries in a car accident, these could include dislocations. These are particularly painful and can lead to impaired motor and sensory function.
Mechanism of Shoulder Dislocations in Car Accidents
One of the many different injuries that someone could sustain in an auto accident is a shoulder dislocation. This can lead to a handful of different associated injuries, including nerve and blood vessel injuries; however, the exact mechanism of a shoulder dislocation is dependent on the direction of the shoulder dislocation. Examples include:
Anterior Dislocation: An anterior shoulder dislocation results from an excessive force that rotates to the shoulder in external rotation. This is one of the most common types of shoulder dislocations. This, combined with a force that raises the joint in the upward direction, leads to the humeral head coming out of the shoulder socket.
Inferior Dislocation: This form of dislocation is unusual and requires a downward force to be placed on the shoulder while it is rotated. While this is unusual in an accident, it could happen if there is a rollover accident, putting forces on the arms in the downward direction.
Sometimes, extreme complications of shoulder dislocations can be seen. This could result in a displacement of the biceps tendon along with the shoulder dislocation.
A Complication: Biceps Tendon Dislocation in a Car Accident
A case report was recently published discussing a man who sustained a dislocated biceps tendon following a dislocation of his shoulder in the anterior direction. Following a traumatic accident, he visited an emergency department with an obvious deformity of the joint.
He went to receive an MRI and was found to have multiple serious injuries. He had sustained a complete tear of his rotator cuff and had a large hematoma underneath the shoulder socket. Unfortunately, his shoulder dislocation could not be reduced because he had also dislocated his biceps tendon. It prevented the doctors from putting his shoulder back in the right location. He needed a trip to an operating room to have his biceps tendon put back in the right place. After this, his shoulder dislocation was reduced as well. Following the procedure, his shoulder looked much better. He was sent for intense physical therapy and has been slowly regaining function in his shoulder. He has regular follow-up visits with specialists to monitor the strength and range of motion of his arm.
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Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento. A biceps tendon dislocation is a serious injury. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a car accident, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.
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Image Attribution: The photo at the start of this article is seen in its original form on Unsplash. The image has been reproduced here with permission/ Biceps Tendon Dislocation
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