[Results of treatment of traumatic elbow dislocation in children]

Between 1987 and 1997 the authors treated 49 children with traumatic dislocation of the elbow joint. The study presents the results of treatment of 26 children, mean age of 10.7 years (ranging from 5.5 to 14.5 years) at the time of trauma. The mean follow-up time was 4.3 years (ranging from 1 to 10.5 years). In one case an anterior dislocation was observed, while in the remaining cases posterior dislocation was diagnosed. Twenty-five children were treated with closed reduction of the dislocation, followed by immobilization in a plaster cast. One case with a chronic dislocation was treated surgically. Concurrent injuries were observed in 18 (69.2) children. The most common concurrent trauma was a fracture of the medial epicondyle (44% of cases with additional trauma). The following additional fractures were also noted: fracture of the lateral epicondyle, fractures of the forearm, of the neck of the radius, of the olecranon, epiphyseolysis of the distal epiphysis of the radius with a concomitant fracture of the medial epicondyle. In 19 cases very good result was achieved. In 7 cases sequels of the dislocation were noted. These were: in 3 cases flexion contractures (5 degrees, 10 degrees, 15 degrees) of the elbow joint, in two cases periarticular ossification (in 1 case this entity was treated surgically with very good result), in 1 case an asymptomatic non-union of the medial epicondyle with a 30 degrees flexion contracture in the elbow joint, and in 1 case (treated surgically) a 90 degrees flexion contracture with a movement range up to 105 degrees with degenerative changes visible on X-ray in the joint was noted.