Complications of pediatric elbow dislocations and monteggia fracture-dislocations.
Pediatric elbow dislocations and Monteggia lesions are prone to acute and chronic complications. A pediatric patient's cartilaginous and unossified distal humerus contributes to the risks of inaccurate diagnoses resulting from the misinterpretation of findings on plain radiographs. The debate continues regarding the amount of acceptable displacement for medial epicondyle fractures. In contrast, the radial head should always point directly to the capitellum. Chronic complications include instability and arthritis. Instability, which can be subtle and difficult to diagnose, can occur in the medial or the posterolateral direction, depending on the injured stabilizer. Restoration of stability remains the mainstay of treatment. Pediatric traumatic arthritis is extremely difficult to manage with surgery because of the limited number of reliable treatment options.
Chief of Staff, Shriners Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Scott H
SH
Kozin
Joshua M
JM
Abzug
Shannon
S
Safier
Martin J
MJ
Herman
D001168:Arthritis / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D004551:Elbow Joint; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications*; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000209:etiology*; D009011:Monteggia's Fracture / Q000150:complications*