BACKGROUND In the past, radial head resection was the surgical treatment of choice for radial head fractures that could not be internally fixed. More recently, radial head implant arthroplasty has gained popularity for the treatment of isolated radial head fractures. The purpose of the present study was to review the long-term results of radial head resection after radial head fractures not ass...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Radial head fractures are common, and may be associated with other injuries of clinical importance. We present the results of a standard additional MRI scan for patients with a radial head fracture. PATIENTS AND METHODS 44 patients (mean age 47 years) with 46 radial head fractures underwent MRI. 17 elbows had a Mason type-I fracture, 23 a Mason type-II fracture, and 6 e...

Missed Monteggia fracture leading to chronic radial head dislocation is a known complication. The surgical treatment options remain challenging. The aim of treatment is to reduce the radial head and to maintain the stability of the elbow in all ranges of motion. A few surgical techniques have been described with complications. We report the case of a 13 years old boy with chronic radial head di...

OBJECTIVE To report the result of a severe articular defect secondary to a complex open fracture of the distal humerus, using the ipsilateral radial head as a bone autograft for the trochclear region as an alternative to total arthroplasty. CASE REPORT We describe a patient who suffered an open fracture of the elbow with bone loss in the distal humeral region and, after the initial stabilisat...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to compare radial head prosthesis replacement with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in the surgical treatment of Mason type III radial head fractures in 72 elderly patients. MATERIAL/METHODS Seventy-two elderly patients (mean age, 67.1±1.25 years, range, 62-81 years) with Mason type III radial head fractures were treated from January 2001 to Jun...

The majority of simple fractures of the radial head are stable, even when displaced 2 mm. Articular fragmentation and comminution can be seen in stable fracture patterns and are not absolute indications for operative treatment. Preservation and/or restoration of radiocapitellar contact is critical to coronal plane and longitudinal stability of the elbow and forearm. Partial and complete articul...

Most current series of radial head arthroplasty include small numbers of patients with short- to medium-term follow-up and significant heterogeneity in patients, treatments, and outcome measures. The purpose of this systematic review was to review outcomes for radial head arthroplasty based on injury chronicity, injury pattern, and type of implant used. The authors systematically searched elect...

BACKGROUND We report the short-term results of a cohort of patients undergoing radial head replacement using a novel radial head prosthesis with a smooth, unfixed, telescoping stem and a bipolar design after a mean follow-up of 34 months (range, 24-48 months). MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients were assessed using clinical and radiographic examination as well as with standardized outcome measures...

Due to the elbow joint's complex functional anatomy, the multifragmentary nature of many fractures and concomitant destabilizing associated injuries, dislocated fractures of the radial head and neck still present a serious challenge for the orthopedic surgeon. Thorough knowledge of the elbow's anatomy and biomechanics is essential to analyze and understand the injury and plan its treatment. The...

Compression testing of cadaver specimens showed that excision of the radial head allowed proximal radial displacement. The insertion of a metallic radial head restored normal mechanics, while a silicone rubber implant did not. We reviewed 31 of 36 comminuted fractures of the radial head, 21 associated with dislocation or ulnar fracture, which had been treated by primary replacement with a Vital...