Management of Unstable Elbows Following Complex Fracture-Dislocations-the 'Terrible Triad' Injury

摘要

Complex fracture-dislocations of the elbow can often be either irreducible or unstable, with an inability to hold the reduction or with the delayed development of subluxation or dislocation. The arm of the present study was to evaluate the etiology of the instability, both osseous and ligamentous, and the results of stabilization with a combination ofinternal fixation, ligament repair, radial head arthroplasty and, when necessary, hinged external fixation. Figures 1 and 2 represent our formulated protocol and treatment algorithm for elbow fracture-dislocation in this series of thirty-two patients.