[Dislocations of the elbow joint]

In a collective follow-up study the results of conservative and operative treatment of luxations of the elbow joint were assessed. In all, 433 patients were followed-up; 315 of them had a ligamentous injury, 225 flake fractures. Because of the amount of soft and bone tissue damage, 241 patients were treated operatively. The functional results of these operations were good in 90% and comparable to those in patients receiving conservative treatment. This confirms that operative treatment of elbow luxations has to be recommended in cases with considerable ligamentous and bone damage.