Intra-articular injuries of the elbow: pitfalls of diagnosis and treatment

Poor results in treating fractures and dislocations about the elbow may be avoided if the surgeon is aware of the possible injuries, examines good radiographs of both elbows, and treats the injury promptly and appropriately. A displaced fracture of the lateral or medial condyle of the humerus should be suspected if there is a flake fracture of the adjoining metaphysis; open reduction and internal fixation give better results than closed reduction. A shear fracture of the capitulum humeri can only be seen on a lateral radiograph; excision of the fragment, followed by mobilization, is sufficient for a good functional result. Dislocation of the elbow in a child may avulse the medial epicondyle, which sometimes lodges in the joint; it is essential to recognize this and remove the fragment without delay to avoid early degenerative arthritis. An apparently isolated fracture of the ulna should alert the surgeon to the possibility of a dislocation of the radial head; the dislocation and the fracture must be reduced and stabilized to conserve elbow function.