Fractures of the elbow and forearm

Fractures and dislocations of the elbow usually occur secondary to indirect trauma. In the adult, fractures of the distal humerus almost always involve the condyles. Fractures of the radial head and neck may be subtle, and the appearance of secondary signs, such as the elevated fat pads from an elbow joint effusion, may be diagnostically useful. Dislocations of the elbow can be associated with fractures, such as those involving the ulnar coronoid process. In children, the presence of epiphyseal and apophyseal ossification centers can confuse the inexperienced observer in the setting of elbow trauma. Osteochondral injury may be difficult to identify without adjunctive imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Soft tissue injury at the elbow is also well characterized by MR imaging. Fractures of a single forearm bone may occur in isolation, usually due to a direct blow, but these are usually associated with fracture of displacement of the other bone in that forearm.