Traumatic injury resulting in ligament rupture and often fractures.
The second most commonly dislocated joint in the body, this can have potentially devastating consequences for long term function. Satisfactory outcomes require urgent treatment including reduction, advanced imaging such as MRI scans, physiotherapy for range of motion exercises and may include surgery for ligament repairs and fracture fixation to achieve a stable, pain free joint.
Usually caused by a fall on an outstretched hand. Reduction might occur spontaneously, or the elbow might require reduction in the emergency department or rarely the operating theatre.
Patients with an elbow dislocation usually have severe pain, swelling and deformity, and can sometimes have numbness or tingling in their fingertips, these symptoms improve with urgent reduction of the joint.
Treatment usually includes x-rays, reduction in the emergency department, then advanced imaging such as an MRI scan, followed either by surgery or non-operative management with a brace and physiotherapy.
Urgent treatment to achieve a stable elbow with either surgery and or physiotherapy alone is required to achieve a satisfactory result.
Elbow dislocations are a serious event and require thorough investigation by specialist medical practitioners. Early appropriate treatment can yield excellent results.
