Abstract
Background: In our experience, there is a clinical subset of patients with type 1 radial head fracture who continue to have chronic elbow ache and pain with lifting. As advanced imaging has become more common in orthopaedic practices, there is a heightened awareness of associated injuries and the need to define such relationships. Using MRI, we sought to further describe the incidence of and characterize associated elbow injuries with a focus on insult to the capitellum and elbow collateral ligaments. Methods: Seventeen patients with 17 Mason type 1 radial head fractures underwent MRI of the affected elbow after being diagnosed by physical examination and orthogonal plain radiographs. Results: The incidence of associated elbow injuries was 100%. Capitellar injuries occurred in 82% of patients. Chondral injury occurred in 36%, and subchondral fracture in 6%. Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury occurred in 88% of patients and in 86% of patients with capitellar injuries. All (100%) elbows had lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL) injury with four complete tears. Conclusions: The incidence of capitellar and MCL injury is higher than previously reported in patients with isolated Mason type 1 radial head fractures. Patients diagnosed with such injuries should be followed closely and evaluated with advanced imaging if there is a failure of motion progression or persistent pain. Long-term clinical outcome of such patients with osteochondral damage of the capitellum should be investigated. Level of Evidence: IV, Case Series, Diagnostic Study.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 467-471 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Current Orthopaedic Practice |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| State | Published - 2014 |
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Keywords
- Capitellum
- Lateral ulnar collateral ligament
- Medial collateral ligament
- Radial head fracture
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Cite this
Associated capitellar and elbow ligamentous injuries in isolated type 1 radial head fractures based on MRI. / Meadows, James R.; Dutta, Anil K; Garcia, Glenn M.
In: Current Orthopaedic Practice, Vol. 25, No. 5, 2014, p. 467-471.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Associated capitellar and elbow ligamentous injuries in isolated type 1 radial head fractures based on MRI
AU - Meadows, James R.
AU - Dutta, Anil K
AU - Garcia, Glenn M.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Background: In our experience, there is a clinical subset of patients with type 1 radial head fracture who continue to have chronic elbow ache and pain with lifting. As advanced imaging has become more common in orthopaedic practices, there is a heightened awareness of associated injuries and the need to define such relationships. Using MRI, we sought to further describe the incidence of and characterize associated elbow injuries with a focus on insult to the capitellum and elbow collateral ligaments. Methods: Seventeen patients with 17 Mason type 1 radial head fractures underwent MRI of the affected elbow after being diagnosed by physical examination and orthogonal plain radiographs. Results: The incidence of associated elbow injuries was 100%. Capitellar injuries occurred in 82% of patients. Chondral injury occurred in 36%, and subchondral fracture in 6%. Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury occurred in 88% of patients and in 86% of patients with capitellar injuries. All (100%) elbows had lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL) injury with four complete tears. Conclusions: The incidence of capitellar and MCL injury is higher than previously reported in patients with isolated Mason type 1 radial head fractures. Patients diagnosed with such injuries should be followed closely and evaluated with advanced imaging if there is a failure of motion progression or persistent pain. Long-term clinical outcome of such patients with osteochondral damage of the capitellum should be investigated. Level of Evidence: IV, Case Series, Diagnostic Study.
AB - Background: In our experience, there is a clinical subset of patients with type 1 radial head fracture who continue to have chronic elbow ache and pain with lifting. As advanced imaging has become more common in orthopaedic practices, there is a heightened awareness of associated injuries and the need to define such relationships. Using MRI, we sought to further describe the incidence of and characterize associated elbow injuries with a focus on insult to the capitellum and elbow collateral ligaments. Methods: Seventeen patients with 17 Mason type 1 radial head fractures underwent MRI of the affected elbow after being diagnosed by physical examination and orthogonal plain radiographs. Results: The incidence of associated elbow injuries was 100%. Capitellar injuries occurred in 82% of patients. Chondral injury occurred in 36%, and subchondral fracture in 6%. Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury occurred in 88% of patients and in 86% of patients with capitellar injuries. All (100%) elbows had lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL) injury with four complete tears. Conclusions: The incidence of capitellar and MCL injury is higher than previously reported in patients with isolated Mason type 1 radial head fractures. Patients diagnosed with such injuries should be followed closely and evaluated with advanced imaging if there is a failure of motion progression or persistent pain. Long-term clinical outcome of such patients with osteochondral damage of the capitellum should be investigated. Level of Evidence: IV, Case Series, Diagnostic Study.
KW - Capitellum
KW - Lateral ulnar collateral ligament
KW - Medial collateral ligament
KW - Radial head fracture
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84927760060&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84927760060&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84927760060
VL - 25
SP - 467
EP - 471
JO - Current Orthopaedic Practice
JF - Current Orthopaedic Practice
SN - 1940-7041
IS - 5
ER -