Anterior subglenoid dislocation of the shoulder in an infant following pneumococcal meningitis.

A 7 1/2-month-old boy had an anterior inferior dislocation of the shoulder. Dislocations of the shoulder in infants have previously been reported, and were either congenital dislocations with associated anomalies of the glenohumeral joint with dislocations from Erb's palsy or septic arthritis. In the present case, dislocation of the shoulder was associated with spastic brain damage. The marked spasticity of the deltoid muscle may have been the deforming force. Capsular and subscapularis plication plus recession of the deltoid corrected the deformity and prevented further dislocations.