Liu MY, Lin CH, Chen SH, Ding YS, Chiang CH. Acute massive rotator cuff tear and biceps tendon dislocation following posterior shoulder dislocation: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(34): 110925 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i34.110925]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Chen-Hao Chiang, Department of Orthopaedics, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, No. 539 Zhongxiao Road, East District, Chia-Yi 60002, Taiwan. chiangabaca@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Orthopedics
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Dec 6, 2025 (publication date) through Dec 9, 2025
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Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Clinical Cases
ISSN
2307-8960
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Liu MY, Lin CH, Chen SH, Ding YS, Chiang CH. Acute massive rotator cuff tear and biceps tendon dislocation following posterior shoulder dislocation: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(34): 110925 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i34.110925]
Meng-Yu Liu, Chang-Hao Lin, Yu-Sian Ding, Chen-Hao Chiang, Department of Orthopaedics, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yi 60002, Taiwan
Shih-Hao Chen, Department of Orthopaedics, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung 427213, Taiwan
Chen-Hao Chiang, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals, College of Life Sciences, National Chiayi University, Chia-Yi 600355, Taiwan
Author contributions: Liu MY drafted the first version of the manuscript; Lin CH and Din YS contributed to the formal investigation; Lin CH, Chen SH, and Chiang CH reviewed and edited the manuscript; Chiang CH contributed to conceptualization of the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Chen-Hao Chiang, Department of Orthopaedics, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, No. 539 Zhongxiao Road, East District, Chia-Yi 60002, Taiwan. chiangabaca@gmail.com
Received: June 19, 2025 Revised: August 12, 2025 Accepted: November 14, 2025 Published online: December 6, 2025 Processing time: 169 Days and 22 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Posterior shoulder dislocation is a rare injury. It accounts for only 1%-4% of all shoulder dislocation cases. However, this injury is often underdiagnosed. Massive rotator cuff tears associated with posterior shoulder dislocation are exceptionally rare. Early diagnosis and surgical management are crucial for restoring shoulder function and preventing long-term disability.
CASE SUMMARY
A 60-year-old male with no previous shoulder injuries presented to our hospital with severe right shoulder pain and immobility after a motorcycle accident. He reported that he braced his fall with his right hand. Initial imaging examination revealed posterior shoulder dislocation with minimal glenoid bone loss. Six days after the injury, the patient exhibited pseudoparalysis and active forward flexion limited to 10°. Two weeks after the injury, magnetic resonance imaging revealed complete tears of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis muscles as well as dislocation of the long head of the biceps tendon. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair was performed 6 weeks after injury. The tendon quality was acceptable with minimal fatty infiltration. At the 12-month surgical follow-up, the patient had recovered full strength and complete range of motion.
CONCLUSION
Early diagnosis and tailored repair of massive rotator cuff tears after dislocation are crucial for restoring shoulder function in older patients.
Core Tip: We have highlighted a case in which a 60-year-old male experienced a massive rotator cuff tear after posterior shoulder dislocation. He was successfully treated with arthroscopic repair, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis, appropriate imaging evaluation, and timely surgical intervention. This case demonstrates that even in older adults, prompt recognition and repair can lead to excellent healing and complete functional recovery.
