title: Incipient malunion of an isolated humeral trochlea fracture treated with an elbow hemiarthroplasty: case report.
abstract: We report the case of a 49-year-old woman with severe elbow ankylosis 10 weeks after a trochlea fracture treated with open reduction and internal fixation. Imaging confirmed failure of open reduction and internal fixation with a displaced and severely damaged trochlea. We treated the nascent malunited trochlea and associated elbow ankylosis with a distal humeral hemiarthroplasty and circumferential elbow arthrolysis. The patient regained functional range of motion of the elbow and had minimal pain. Distal humeral hemiarthroplasty, which has been indicated for acute fractures involving the capitellum or the entire distal humerus, may also be indicated for certain isolated complex fractures of the trochlea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CHU de Québec, Hôpital Enfant-Jésus, Quebec, Canada; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CHU de Québec, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lechasseur
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CHU de Québec, Hôpital Enfant-Jésus, Quebec, Canada; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CHU de Québec, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: melissa.laflamme.2@ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Mélissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laflamme
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CHU de Québec, Hôpital Enfant-Jésus, Quebec, Canada; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CHU de Québec, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leclerc
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CHU de Québec, Hôpital Enfant-Jésus, Quebec, Canada; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CHU de Québec, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bédard
mesh_terms: D000844:Ankylosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001863:Bone Screws; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D017759:Fractures, Malunited / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D062785:Hemiarthroplasty; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D017211:Treatment Failure; D000092464:Elbow Injuries
keywords: Trochlea fracture; elbow hemiarthroplasty; trochlea malunion