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Abstract: Elbow dislocations in the infant are not very frequent and are associated to the fractures. Their management must be urgent and rigorous if complications are to be avoided. We report the case of a child aged 12 who presented with a fracture-dislocation of the right elbow, after falling from a tree. The patient was treated in a standard manner for one month. Four months later, the patient presented again, this time complaining of stiffness of the elbow. Physical examination confirmed the reduced range of movement of the elbow (flexion 80°, extension –30°) without associated neurovascular complication. Radiography of the elbow showed a posterior dislocation with remodelling of the humeral contours. Surgical exploration revealed normal articular cartilage, a pseudoarthrosis of the epitrochlea, a dislocation of the radial head and the sigmoid fossa of small size in relation to the trochlea. A reduction was only possible after an "enlargement plasty" of the trochlear notch. The patient was seen after an interval of six months. The elbow was stable with no vasculo-nervous complication.and had flexion of 110° with extension of –30°. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Surgical management of the rare thrue articular fractures of the elbow remain difficult: the surgeon must achieve anatomical reconstruction with a reliable fixation allowing mobilisation of the joint for early rehabilitation. Arthroscopic treatment of elbow fractures (capitellum, coronoid, olecranous and radial head) gives an excellent intra articular view with few soft tissue damage. Cartilage damage, intra articular loose bodies and capsulolabral injuries are then well adressed. Arthroscopic management of elbow fracture is potentially dangerous for the neuro-vascular structures and requiere good knowleges in elbow arthroscopic technique. We routinely use lateral approach, trying to avoid the medial approach in traumatology. This article relates the differents surgical techniques. A preoperative computed tomography is needed to select the eligible fractures for those techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]