Introduction:

Injury to the spinal nerve causes paralysis of the trapezius muscle, the main stabilizer of the scapula contributing in flexion, rotation and abduction movements of the shoulder. Its course is superficial in the posterior triangle of the neck with susceptibility to injury in the dissection of the region, the most common cause of paralysis of the trapezius.

Presentation of the case:

Female of 27 years who attends rehabilitation for diagnosis and looking for to improve the function of the left upper limb. Such condition began 11 months earlier, when subjected to total thyroidectomy and cervical lymphadenectomy, after surgery presents impossibility to flexion and abduction of the left shoulder more than 60 degrees, clinical diagnosis is spinal accessory nerve injury, confirmed by electromyography and rate of conduction. Because the time of evolution and type of previous surgery, Eden-Lange surgery for correction and improvement in function is proposed.

Conclusion:

If lesion is detected immediatly, nerve reconstruction must be made. When the time after injury is greater than one year, the procedure of Eden and Lange with muscle transpositions applies, as it corrects the deformity and improves functionality.