[Reconstruction of a traumatic lateral trochlear defect with a radial head autograft]

To report the result of a severe articular defect secondary to a complex open fracture of the distal humerus, using the ipsilateral radial head as a bone autograft for the trochclear region as an alternative to total arthroplasty.

We describe a patient who suffered an open fracture of the elbow with bone loss in the distal humeral region and, after the initial stabilisation surgery, needed a reconstruction with an ipsilateral radial head autograft.

Open fractures of elbow are rare. When there is a severe trochlear defect, surgical options are total elbow arthroplasty, where the short and medium term results appear to be insufficient, or elbow arthrodesis. We believe that reconstruction of the defect using an ipsilateral radial head autograft is a more functional alternative than the other procedures described.

Radial head reconstruction with ipsilateral lateral trochlear defects is a technique that, unlike fusion, preserves functionality without the problems of total elbow arthroplasty.