• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.440-443
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• 2022

Spinal accessory nerve (SAN) palsy is typically a result of posterior triangle surgery and can present with partial or complete paralysis of the trapezius muscle and severe shoulder dysfunction. We share an atypical case of a patient who presented with SAN palsy following an injury sustained playing competitive volleyball. A 19-year-old right hand dominant competitive volleyball player presented with right shoulder weakness, dyskinesia, and pain. She injured the right shoulder during a volleyball game 2 years prior when diving routinely for a ball. On physical examination she had weakness of shoulder shrug and a pronounced shift of the scapula when abducting or forward flexing her shoulder greater than 90 degrees. Manual stabilization of the scapula eliminated this shift, so we performed scapulopexy to stabilize the inferior angle of the scapula. At 6 months postoperative, she had full active range of motion of the shoulder. SAN palsy can occur following what would seem to be a routine volleyball maneuver. This could be due to a combination of muscle hypertrophy from intensive volleyball training and stretch sustained while diving for a ball. Despite delayed presentation and complete atrophy of the trapezius, a satisfactory outcome was achieved with scapulopexy.

• The Academic Congress of Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society
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• 2009.03a
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• pp.208-208
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• 2009

Eleven shoulders (9 patients) with refractory scapulothoracic dysfunction were treated with scapulothoracic arthrodesis between 2000 and 2006. Refractory shoulder dysfunction included facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy in five shoulders (3 patients), refractory scapular winging with long thoracic nerve palsy in one shoulder, scapular winging caused by serratus anterior palsy with trapezius dysfunction in one shoulder, post-surgical thoracic outlet syndrome due to medial clavicle resection in two shoulders, refractory scapular winging with spinal accessory nerve injury in one shoulder, and chronic trapezius rupture caused by cervical spine surgery in one shoulder. The mean active flexion was improved from 82 degrees preoperatively to 112 degrees postoperatively. The mean Constant score was improved from 27.2 points to 68.0 points. Two shoulders (1 patient) that had facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy had broken wires due to nonunion, and one patient had a reactive pulmonary effusion. In ten of the eleven shoulders, the patients were satisfied with their results. The scapulothoracic arthrodesis can cause significant pain relief and functional improvement in refractory scapulothoracic and/or shoulder dysfunction. By selecting patients that present with appropriate indications, and using experienced surgical technique through complete preoperative evaluation, we can diminish the complication rate and make good clinical outcomes.