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Dislocations of the elbow in children

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, Private Bag 7, Congella 4013, Republic of South Africa.

A total of 33 children were treated for acute traumatic dislocation of the elbow between 1994 and 2002; 30 dislocations were posterior and three anterior. Eight children had a pure dislocation and 25 had an associated fracture of the elbow. Two had compound injuries. Two children had injury to the ulnar nerve, one to the radial nerve and one to the median nerve together with injury to the brachial artery. Twenty required open reduction. Complications included pseudarthrosis of the medial epicondyle in one child and loss of flexion and rotation of between 10° and 30° in ten others. Meticulous clinical and radiological assessment is mandatory in children with dislocation of the elbow to exclude associated injuries.

The results were excellent to good in 22 patients, fair in ten and poor in one.

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