Bilateral scapular fractures from low-voltage electrical injury.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Single clinical case report
PubMed 7149361 · doi:10.1016/s0196-0644(82)80264-3
What was done
Case report describing a 43-year-old man who sustained bilateral scapular fractures after brief exposure to a 440-volt, 60-Hz electrical current passing through his upper extremities. Treatment consisted of conservative management with shoulder immobilization, analgesia, and progressive physical therapy.
What was found
The electrical exposure caused bilateral scapular fractures mediated by tetanic muscle contraction without direct impact or a fall. With conservative treatment, fractures healed over six weeks, achieving essentially normal shoulder function at six-month follow-up.
Why it matters
Highlights that electrical shock alone can generate muscle contractions strong enough to cause bilateral scapular fractures, underscoring that clinicians should suspect shoulder girdle fractures in electrical injury cases even when direct trauma or falls did not occur.
Limits
Single case report (n=1) with descriptive clinical outcomes. It lacks comparative treatment data, long-term radiographic monitoring details, and generalizable epidemiological estimates.
Cited by
- supports Electric shock can induce involuntary tetanic muscle contractions violent enough to fracture bones such as the clavicle and scapula.