Description
The management of frozen shoulder involves conservative therapy initially, including physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory medications and intra-articular injections. Manipulation under anaesthesia is undertaken in the more resistant cases. We report a 37 year old female patient suffering a transient brachial plexus palsy after manipulation under anaesthetic. The transient brachial plexus palsy lasted for five hours. This condition has not been previously reported, and we describe the possible causes.
Frozen shoulder produces a gradual increase in stiffness and pain in the affected shoulder. Conservative management initially includes physiotherapy and injections with local anaesthetic and corticosteroid, with Manipulation under Anaesthesia being reserved for the more resistant cases. Trauma to the brachial plexus is a recognised serious complication of manipulation for frozen shoulder. We report on a transient plexus palsy, a situation not previously documented, and consider the possible cause.
