Pulmonary Embolism after Screw Fixation for a Greater Tubercle Fracture of Humerus

Kang,  Suk; Chung,  Phil Hyun; Kim,  Jong Pil; Kim,  Young Sung; Lee,  Ho Min; Jang,  Han Gil

doi:2014.17.4.201

Clin Shoulder Elb > Volume 17(4); 2014 > Article

Case Report

Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow 2014;17(4):201-204.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5397/CiSE.2014.17.4.201 Published online December 31, 2014.

Pulmonary Embolism after Screw Fixation for a Greater Tubercle Fracture of Humerus

Suk Kang, Phil Hyun Chung, Jong Pil Kim, Young Sung Kim, Ho Min Lee, Han Gil Jang

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, Korea. shoulder2011@dongguk.ac.kr

Received: 22 August 2014 • Revised: 9 October 2014 • Accepted: 11 October 2014

Abstract

Pulmonary embolism is a serious complication, which is well known in patients undergoing total hip or total knee arthroplasty or lower extremity fracture surgery. But, there are few literatures concerning pulmonary embolism after upper extremity surgery. Pulmonary embolism after minor upper extremity fracture surgery is extremely rare. We report a case of 66-year-old female patient that developed pulmonary embolism after percutaneous cannulated screw fixation for a greater tubercle fracture of the proximal humerus with literature review.

Key Words: Pulmonary embolism; Fracture fixation; Shoulder fractures