DOI: 10.12890/2023_003779

Winged scapula caused by Parsonage-Turner syndrome after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination

Authors

  • Kosuke Ishizuka Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan
  • Yoshiyuki Ohira Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan

e103007c@yokohama-cu.ac.jp

Keywords

COVID-19 vaccination, Parsonage-Turner syndrome, winged scapula

Abstract

A 45-year-old Japanese woman presented with difficulty moving her left shoulder. Ten months previously, the day after she had received her second dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, a severe stabbing pain occurred in her entire left upper extremity. The pain resolved within 2 weeks, although she developed difficulty moving her left shoulder. A left winged scapula was observed. Electromyography showed left upper brachial plexopathy with acute axonal involvement and abundant acute denervation potentials, consistent with Parsonage-Turner syndrome (PTS). PTS should be considered in patients with post-neuralgic motor paralysis of the unilateral upper extremity, which can occur after COVID-19 vaccination.

View the entire article

Downloads

References

  1. Parsonage MJ, Turner JW. Neuralgic amyotrophy; the shoulder-girdle syndrome. Lancet 1948;1:973–978.
  2. Fukushima K, Ikeda S. Neuralgic amyotrophy. Brain Nerve 2014;66:1421–1428.
  3. Martin RM, Fish DE. Scapular winging: anatomical review, diagnosis, and treatments. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 2008;1:1–11.
  4. Siepmann T, Kitzler HH, Lueck C, Platzek I, Reichmann H, Barlinn K. Neuralgic amyotrophy following infection with SARS-CoV-2. Muscle Nerve 2020;62:E68–E70.
  5. Mahajan S, Zhang F, Mahajan A, Zimnowodzki S. Parsonage Turner syndrome after COVID-19 vaccination. Muscle Nerve 2021;64:E3–E4.
  6. Chua MMJ, Hayes MT, Cosgrove R. Parsonage-Turner syndrome following COVID-19 vaccination and review of the literature. Surg Neurol Int 2022;13:152.
  7. Flikkema K, Brossy K. Parsonage-Turner Syndrome after COVID-19 vaccination: a case report. JBJS Case Connect 2021;11:doi: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.21.00577.
  8. Castaneda DM, Chambers MM, Johnsen PH, Fedorka CJ. Parsonage-Turner syndrome following COVID-19 infection: a report of three cases. JSES Rev Rep Tech;2022:doi: 10.1016/j.xrrt.2022.11.001

Published

2023-02-28

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 2 (2023)

Categories

How to Cite

1.
Ishizuka K, Ohira Y. Winged scapula caused by Parsonage-Turner syndrome after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. EJCRIM [Internet]. 2023 Feb. 28 [cited 2026 Nov. 4];10(2). Available from: https://ejcrim.com/index.php/ejcrim/article/view/3779

Most read articles by the same author(s)