Ligamentous injuries in dislocations of the elbow joint

The opinions concerning presence of instability and ligamentous injuries following dislocation of the elbow differ. Thirty-one patients with an elbow dislocation without concomitant fracture were examined under anesthesia for stability at an average time of two days after the injury. All elbows were unstable to valgus stress in the extended position compared with the healthy side. Eight elbows were unstable to varus stress. Nine elbows were easily redislocated in semiflexed position under anesthesia. Surgical exposure and ligament suture were performed medially in all cases and laterally in 18 cases. All the ligaments were completely ruptured or avulsed in the epicondyle attachment. In most cases the ligamentous ruptures were combined with rupture or avulsion of the muscular origins at the epicondyles. The degree of muscular damage was correlated with the tendency to redislocate under anesthesia.