What are common fractures associated with shoulder dislocation?

What are common fractures associated with shoulder dislocation?

• A. Hill-Sachs lesion and Bankart fracture
• B. Colles fracture and Smith fracture
• C. Monteggia fracture
• D. Boxer's fracture

Answer: (A)

When a shoulder dislocates, the mechanisms that drive the humeral head out of the glenoid often cause two classic accompanying injuries. The first is a compression fracture of the humeral head on its posterolateral aspect, known as a Hill-Sachs lesion. This happens because the dislocating humeral head slams against the glenoid rim, leaving a dent or indentation on the head itself. The second is a fracture or detachment of the anteroinferior part of the glenoid rim with the attached labrum, called a Bankart lesion. This results from the shoulder being forced out of place and the labrum being pulled away from the rim; when a bone fragment is involved, it’s a Bankart fracture. These two findings—Hill-Sachs and Bankart—are the classic injuries that accompany most anterior shoulder dislocations and help explain why the shoulder may be prone to recurrent instability if not addressed. The other injuries listed involve different parts of the body. Colles and Smith fractures are wrist injuries (distal radius fractures), a Monteggia fracture involves the proximal ulna with radial head dislocation, and a Boxer's fracture is a fracture of the neck of a metacarpal, typically from punching. They do not describe the common fracture patterns seen with shoulder dislocation.

When a shoulder dislocates, the mechanisms that drive the humeral head out of the glenoid often cause two classic accompanying injuries. The first is a compression fracture of the humeral head on its posterolateral aspect, known as a Hill-Sachs lesion. This happens because the dislocating humeral head slams against the glenoid rim, leaving a dent or indentation on the head itself. The second is a fracture or detachment of the anteroinferior part of the glenoid rim with the attached labrum, called a Bankart lesion. This results from the shoulder being forced out of place and the labrum being pulled away from the rim; when a bone fragment is involved, it’s a Bankart fracture.

These two findings—Hill-Sachs and Bankart—are the classic injuries that accompany most anterior shoulder dislocations and help explain why the shoulder may be prone to recurrent instability if not addressed.

The other injuries listed involve different parts of the body. Colles and Smith fractures are wrist injuries (distal radius fractures), a Monteggia fracture involves the proximal ulna with radial head dislocation, and a Boxer's fracture is a fracture of the neck of a metacarpal, typically from punching. They do not describe the common fracture patterns seen with shoulder dislocation.