Scapulothoracic dissociation: An emerging high-energy trauma in medical literature

Scapulothoracic dissociation (STD) is a devastating consequence of high-energy trauma sustained by the shoulder girdle that can easily result in rapid mortality. Since described by Oreck et al. in 1984, STD has been reported in a handful of journals and individual case series, though is still considered a rare occurrence in the context of shoulder injuries. In this report, we examine the case of a 25-year-old female involved in a high-speed rollover auto accident. Unique to this case was the discovery of a completely transected axillary artery and vein with intracorporeal bleeding and complete avulsion of the ipsilateral brachial plexus requiring immediate ligation of the vessels followed by interval above-elbow-amputation and later glenohumeral disarticulation.