A Pictorial Review on Post-Traumatic Soft Tissue Entrapment

Soft tissue injuries often accompany fractures that are not evident on clinical examination or radiographs. The entrapment of soft tissue within fractures and joint dislocations is an infrequent complication that may remain undiagnosed for a long time. Among the dreaded complications of this uncommon entity are non-union and loss of limb function. Conservatively managed nondisplaced fractures with soft tissue entrapment typically warrant surgery to preserve the function of vital structures such as nerves. Entrapment of soft tissue structures within a fracture can also occur after closed reduction, and rarely after surgical fixation. Therefore, radiologists must make this diagnosis early to decrease morbidity. We present a spectrum of entrapment of soft tissue structures in fractures and dislocations and review the literature.