Isolated Distal Radioulnar Joint Dislocation in an Adolescent: A Case Report and Systematic Review

Isolated distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) dislocation is a rare injury, often presenting following direct trauma with difficulty in active and passive pronation/supination. Accurate and prompt diagnosis is to essential to correctly treat and avoid long-term complications such as pain, stiffness, and loss of function.

We present the case of a 16-year-old male with an acute isolated DRUJ dislocation following a sporting injury. The patient was referred to our major trauma center from a tertiary orthopaedic unit following failed closed reduction (CR). Successful CR was performed in our department. Temporary casting and early rehab with physiotherapy gave the patient good functional results with full recovery at 3 months.

Careful history and examination, as well as appropriate imaging, including true anterioposterior and lateral radiographs +/- computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, is need to accurately diagnosis this injury. Consider this injury in a patient with difficulty in supination/pronation with reported wrist pain following trauma.