Radial head fractures

Contents

• Clinical
• Treatment
• Surgery

Associated with a fall on an outstretched arm. Can easily be missed if undisplaced.

Clinical

• Painful, swollen elbow with limited ROM and tender radial head.

Treatment

Type 1
Assess ROM

• Full/Almost full – above elbow slab for comfort. Sling in 3-5 days and start ROM
• Limited – consider aspiration of joint, injection of local anaesthetic. Recheck ROM. (persistent block to motion indicates articular pathology and need for OR)

Type 2

Grey area

• May need ORIF or excision, but in many cases is treated non-operatively with later surgery if problems arise.

Type 3

Surgery

• Usually requires excision of radial head, possibly with prosthetic replacement.

Attachments:

worddavf2d6b4b867f5117c9359ccda4f5d1392.png (image/png)


worddavb4c46a3ea92f7a9c644bc28dffd1684f.png (image/png)


worddave03abd4693f0d1b7a249903401426e8a.png (image/png)