"Congenital" dislocation of the radial head. A bilateral case developing around the age of ten

Dislocation of the head of the radius has important repercussions on pronation-supination, elbow stability and on the wrist joint. In the absence of a history of trauma, this anomaly is generally considered to be "congenital". Few authors have described the progressive acquisition of this dislocation during growth. The case of a 20 year old man is presented, corresponding to initial subluxation which gradually evolved towards dislocation of the head of the radius at about the age of 11 years. This type of dislocation appears to be related to abnormal growth of the proximal radial epiphysis, responsible for repercussions on the humero-radial articular relations and on the anatomy of the upper extremity of the radius. The patient was treated by ulnar osteotomy at the age of 17 years according to Hirayama's technique, when he was probably already too old. Surgical correction of the subluxation of the head of the radius at an earlier age would probably have been preferable.