HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tashjian, R. Z. Articles by Katarincic, J. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tashjian, R. Z. Articles by Katarincic, J. A.

Complex Elbow Instability

Dr. Tashjian is Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Fellow, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Dr. Katarincic is Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI.

None of the following authors or the departments with which they are affiliated has received anything of value from or owns stock in a commercial company or institution related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article: Dr. Tashjian and Dr. Katarincic.

Reprint requests: Dr. Katarincic, University Orthopedics, Suite 200, 2 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02905.

Complex elbow instability consists of dislocation of the ulnohumeral joint with a concomitant fracture of one or several of the bony stabilizers of the elbow, including the radial head, proximal ulna, coronoid process, or distal humerus. Recurrent instability is not often associated with simple dislocation, but an improperly managed complex dislocation may be a prelude to chronic, recurrent elbow instability. Complex instability is significantly more demanding to manage than simple instability. Radial head, coronoid, and olecranon fracture associated with dislocation each must be assessed and often require surgery. Long-term outcome with surgical management of complex elbow injuries is unknown. A few published series examine combinations of different injury patterns managed with various methods. Recently, however, several well-designed prospective outcome studies have evaluated management of several different individual fracture-dislocation patterns with a unified treatment algorithm. Fixation or replacement of injured bony elements, ligamentous repair, and hinged fixation may be used to successfully manage complex elbow instability.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. A. Crawford, J. S.J. Brooks, and C. M. Ogilvie Osteosarcoma of the Proximal Part of the Radius in Mazabraud Syndrome. A Case Report J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., April 1, 2009; 91(4): 955 - 960. [Full Text] [PDF]