Extract
Isolated loss of external rotation of the shoulder with the arm at the side
is a rare clinical finding in patients presenting with a shoulder problem.
Most patients with shoulder stiffness are first seen with a loss of mobility
involving at least two planes of motion that usually results from primary or
secondary adhesive
capsulitis1,2.
Soft-tissue tumors of the shoulder girdle are
rare3. Among
soft-tissue tumors, desmoid tumors are very rare and they most frequently
occur in the shoulder girdle and the thigh of adolescents and young
adults4. Desmoid
tumors are slow-growing benign fibrous neoplasms arising from soft tissue and
muscle. They have a notoriously high recurrence
rate5,6.
Adequate surgical resection can be challenging, and early diagnosis is
intuitively beneficial in facilitating surgical management before the tumor
has invaded and distorted the regional anatomy. We present the cases of two
patients with a desmoid tumor originating in the subscapularis muscle who were
first seen with vague progressive shoulder pain and a clinical examination
pertinent for only marked limitation of active and passive external rotation
of the shoulder with the arm at the side. The patients were informed that data
concerning their cases would be submitted for publication.