Bilateral scapular fractures from low-voltage electrical injury.

Bilateral, characteristically distributed fractures of the scapula occur from low-voltage electrical injury due to tetanic muscle contraction involving the upper extremities and shoulder girdles. We present the case of a 43-year-old man who sustained bilateral scapular fractures after exposure to a 440-volt, 60 cycle-per-second current passing briefly through his upper extremities. Conservative management, consisting of shoulder immobilization, analgesia, and progressively physical therapy, led to healing of the fractures over six weeks with essentially normal shoulder function after a follow-up period of six months. The absence of an associated fall or other direct trauma should not dissuade the physician from the diagnosis of scapular fractures in electrical injury.