AN OPERATION TO IMPROVE ABDUCTION POWER OF THE SHOULDER IN POLIOMYELITIS

¹ The Clinics of the Orthopaedic Hospital, Los Angeles

1. The operation described, in which the scapulae are tied together with fascia lata, is designed to improve abduction power of the shoulder when there is combined weakness of the deltoid and rhomboid muscles.

2. It is one of the few operations which should be done early in cases of poliomyelitis. It will prevent adduction contractures of the shoulder, which are prone to occur with this distribution of paralysis. It makes possible splinting of the shoulder in abduction, while the scapulae are maintained in adduction. Thus antagonistic muscles are at the same time put in the favorable position of rest.

3. Abduction power of the shoulder is improved because the scapulae are stabilized, thus providing a point of fixation against which the weakened deltoid may more effectively work.

4. This operation does not supplant other muscle transplantations now in use for deltoid paralysis. It has proved to be a valuable adjunct, and is particularly useful when there is marked weakness of the rhomboid muscles and only moderate weakness of the muscles of shoulder abduction.

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