title: Treatment of acute and chronic elbow instability with a hinged external fixator after fracture dislocation.
abstract: This is a retrospective analysis of the clinical and radiological outcome in 24 patients with acute or chronic posttraumatic elbow instability, who were treated with open reduction, internal fixation and a hinged external fixator. The instability was acute after elbow fracture dislocation in 11 cases; the other 13 had chronic posttraumatic instability of the elbow. Concentric stability and a sufficient range of motion of the elbow joint were achieved in all cases. The addition of a hinged external fixator in noncompliant patients, who underwent open reduction and internal fixation of an acute or chronic posttraumatic unstable elbow, allows early intensive mobilisation and can improve the clinical outcome after these complex elbow injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery, BG University Hospital Trauma Center "Bergmannsheil", Bochum, Germany. christoph@zilkens.net
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zilkens
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasiadis
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smajic
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muhr
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kälicke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000601:surgery*; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011403:Pronation; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013484:Supination; D000092464:Elbow Injuries