Persistent elbow dislocation

Anna E van der Windt; Joost W Colaris; Dennis den Hartog; Bertram The; Denise Eygendaal

doi:10.1016/j.jseint.2022.12.021

Persistent elbow dislocation

JSES Int. 2023 Jan 18;7(6):2605-2611. doi: 10.1016/j.jseint.2022.12.021. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Authors

Anna E van der Windt¹, Joost W Colaris¹, Dennis den Hartog², Bertram The³, Denise Eygendaal¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
² Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands.

Abstract

Acute elbow dislocation is a common injury with an incidence in the general population estimated at around 5/100,000. Persistent (or static) elbow dislocation is a relatively rare problem but might occur due to inappropriate assessment or treatment of acute simple or complex elbow dislocations. Persistent elbow dislocation can be an invalidating and painful condition with a more ominous prognosis than an acute elbow dislocation with appropriate treatment. Surgical treatment of persistent elbow dislocation is a complex intervention that requires extended surgical exposure and arthrolysis in combination with circumferential ligamentous and osseous stabilization. Satisfactory results are described, but complication and reintervention rates are high. After-treatment with a dynamic external fixator is often necessary.

Keywords: Coronoid fracture; Instability; Ligament reconstruction; Persistent elbow dislocation; Radial head fracture; Terrible triad.

Publication types

Review