Luxatio erecta (inferior dislocation of the shoulder): a report of 5 cases and a review of the literature.

Luxatio erecta (inferior dislocation of the glenohumeral joint) is an unusual type of shoulder dislocation. The authors present 5 new cases of luxatio erecta. All cases were hyperabduction injuries. In all cases, closed reduction was accomplished by a traction-countertraction maneuver. Three of the 5 subjects sustained concomitant fractures of the greater tuberosity. One underwent open reduction and internal fixation of the greater tuberosity. One suffered axillary nerve injuries. No vascular injuries were noted in our series. The mechanism of the injury is discussed.