TY  - JOUR
A1  - Mühlenfeld, Nils
A1  - Frank, Johannes
A1  - Lustenberger, Thomas
A1  - Marzi, Ingo
A1  - Sander, Anna Lena
T1  - Epidemiology and treatment of acute elbow dislocations: current concept based on primary surgical ligament repair of unstable simple elbow dislocations
T2  - European journal of trauma and emergency surgery
N2  - Purpose: Acute elbow dislocations are complex injuries that predispose to chronic instability and pain. The ideal treatment strategy is part of controversial discussion and evidence-based recommendations for the treatment could not be concluded from the literature. The purpose of the present study was to assess current epidemiological data, injury pattern, and the changing trend for treatment.
Methods: This study presents a retrospective review of 72 patients ≥ 18 years of age who were treated in our level I trauma centre with acute elbow dislocations from 2014 to 2018. The data were acquired by analysis of the institution’s database, and radiological examinations.
Results: The average age of the patients was 48.5 years (range 18–86). The ratio of male to female patients was 1.9:1. A fall onto the outstretched arm (42%) was the most common injury mechanism. By classification, 42% of the elbow dislocations were simple, and 58% complex. A total of 85% of patients underwent surgery including 73% of the simple elbow dislocations due to remaining instability or non-congruency of the reduced elbow. The indication for surgical treatment correlated merely with the grade of instability and displacement, but not with age.
Conclusion: Acute elbow dislocations need identification of the precise injury pattern and instability after reduction of the elbow joint. To achieve a congruent and stable joint, we recommend primary surgical repair as first-line treatment for patients with unstable simple and complex elbow dislocation independent of age.
KW  - Acute elbow dislocation
KW  - Epidemiology
KW  - Treatment
Y1  - 2020
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/75687
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-756870
SN  - 1863-9941
N1  - Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
VL  - 48
IS  - 1
SP  - 629
EP  - 636
PB  - Springer Medizin
CY  - Heidelberg
ER  -