Pediatric elbow dislocation Discussion
Pediatric elbow dislocation is a serious injury whether or not there are
other associated injuries. Most are true posterior dislocations. Most can
be treated with closed reduction. Fracture, brachial artery or forearm
nerve injuries may accompany the dislocation and worsen the long term
prognosis. Open exploration is indicated for irreducible dislocations or
for associated injuries. One in ten patients have at least temporary nerve
related symptoms. Regardless of treatment, most patients lose some elbow
extension, although some improvement may occur as late as one year after
injury. Periarticular calcification occurs in about one out of three
patients.
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