Fractures of the Radial Head.
Radial head fractures are the most common fractures around the elbow. Because they are often accompanied by ligamentous injuries, we recommend considering them to be osteoligamentous injuries rather than simple fractures, even in undisplaced or minimally displaced fractures. Surgeons should always suspect and actively exclude concomitant ligament tears. The incidence of these associated injuries increases with greater severity of the radial head fracture. However, the standard Mason classification system does not adequately address this problem, and all attempts to establish a new classification system that provides concise treatment algorithms have failed. This article discusses the current treatment options and the current controversies in nonsurgical therapy, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and radial head replacement.
Department for Shoulder Surgery, Rhön-Clinic, Bad Neustadt, Salzburger Leite 1, 97616 Bad Neustadt/Saale, Germany. Electronic address: klaus.j.burkhart@gmail.com.
Klaus Josef
KJ
Burkhart
Department for Trauma, Hand and Elbow Surgery, University of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937 Köln, Germany.
Kilian
K
Wegmann
Department for Trauma, Hand and Elbow Surgery, University of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937 Köln, Germany.
Lars P
LP
Müller
Department for Shoulder Surgery, Rhön-Clinic, Bad Neustadt, Salzburger Leite 1, 97616 Bad Neustadt/Saale, Germany.
Frank E
FE
Gohlke
D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000601:surgery; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010808:Physical Examination; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*
Arthroplasty; Fracture; Locking plate; ORIF; Outcome; Radial head