Traumatic dislocation of the radial head at birth

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Pediatric medicine
• Traumatology

Background:

• Birth injuries can lead to musculoskeletal abnormalities.
• Breech presentation delivery sometimes requires obstetric maneuvers.
• Radial head dislocation is a known, though less common, pediatric orthopedic injury.

Observation:

• A female infant presented with anterior dislocation of the left radial head two days after a breech delivery involving arm manipulation.
• The dislocation was diagnosed shortly after birth.

Findings:

• Surgical correction of the anterior radial head dislocation was performed and proved successful.
• Follow-up examination five years post-surgery revealed a normal elbow joint, with no residual abnormalities or limitations.

Implications:

• This case suggests that some "congenital" unilateral radial head dislocations may result from unrecognized birth trauma during delivery.
• Early diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial for favorable outcomes in traumatic radial head dislocations.
• Further investigation into birth-related injuries as a cause of pediatric radial head dislocations is warranted.