Trauma Case Rep. 2025 Nov 17;60:101278. doi: 10.1016/j.tcr.2025.101278. eCollection 2025 Dec.

CASE: We report a case of a 44-year-old female with intrathoracic displacement of the humeral head, which was not only missed by the initial trauma team while receiving the patient but also missed by multiple senior surgeons during primary management in the operating room.

CONCLUSION: Diagnostic accuracy hinges on clinical presentation and detailed imaging locating fragments of the fractured head. Interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with thoracic and trauma surgeons, is crucial for early diagnosis and timely recovery. The possibility of intrathoracic dislodged head should not be ruled out in proximal humeral fractures irrespective of pulmonary complaints or velocity of trauma.

PubMed:41333996 | PMC:PMC12666054 | DOI:10.1016/j.tcr.2025.101278