Surgical treatment of acute convergent dislocation of elbow / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the surgical treatment of acute convergent dislocation of elbow after failed closed reduction.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted of the 8 patients with acute convergent dislocation of elbow who had been admitted from January 2017 to December 2020 for surgical treatment after failed closed reduction and completely followed up at Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. There were 3 males and 5 females, with an average age of 30.9 years (from 15 to 51 years). Five left and 3 right elbows were injured. Combined injuries included radial head fracture in 6 cases, distal radius fracture in 2 cases, coronoid fracture in one, medial epicondyle fracture of the humerus in one, scaphoid fracture in one, and distal radioulnar dislocation in one. All patients underwent surgery after failure of closed reduction. Intraoperative exploration found in every case a longitudinal tear on the brachialis tendon. The radial head protruded from the front into the tear and twisted the tendon so that the reduction of the radial head was frustrated. At the last follow-up, the elbow flexion and extension and forearm rotation were recorded, and the Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS) was used for function assessment.Results:All the 8 patients were followed up for a mean of 6.1 months (from 2 to 12 months). At the last follow-up, the elbow flexion and extension averaged 101.9° (from 65° to 150°), the forearm rotation 132.5° (from 75° to 170°), and the MEPS 96.3 (from 90 to 100). None of the patients had significant pain or joint instability. Various degrees of joint mobility limitation existed in 7 patients, one of whom underwent elbow arthrolysis and another of whom underwent ulnar neurolysis and anterior transposition due to ulnar nerve injury.Conclusions:For treatment of acute convergent dislocation of elbow, if closed reduction fails, surgical treatment should be performed on time, because the surgical efficacy is more reliable. As the severity and combined injuries of the convergent dislocation vary from person to person, the therapy algorithm should be individualized.