Summary

A patient with a shattered Gustilo 3B floating shoulder with an intact neurovascular bundle and a reasonably functional hand was encountered in Sri Lanka, following a blast injury. The limb was salvaged by using an external fixator to fix the humerus to the ipsilateral iliac crest. The wound healed well rendering the patient with a limp shoulder but, a functional hand which she could use by supporting the elbow with the left hand. This technique can be an option in rare situations such as the case in discussion to salvage ‘floating shoulders’ without disarticulation.