פוסט זה זמין גם ב:
עברית
Michael Gottlieb, MD*
*Corresponding Author. E-mail: michaelgottliebMD@gmail.com.
INTRODUCTION
Elbow dislocation is one of the most common large-joint dislocations in both adults and children, with an incidence of 5.21 dislocations per 100,000 person-years.1 It occurs across a wide age range but is most common between the ages of 10 and 19 years.1,2 The most frequent etiology is related to sports (particularly football, wrestling, basketball, and skating), with the most common mechanism being a fall on an outstretched arm.1,3,4 The majority of elbow dislocations are posterior (ie, olecranon displaced posterior to the humerus) or posterolateral, with only 1.5% being anteriorly displaced (ie, olecranon displaced anterior to the humerus).5 Fractures are common, occurring in approximately half of the patients, and most commonly involve the coronoid or radial head.5 Most elbow dislocations can be successfully reduced in the emergency department (ED), although patients may need operative management if there is persistent instability or the inability to reduce at the bedside.5,6 Given the frequency with which elbow dislocations can present to the ED, it is important for clinicians to be aware of the approach to the management of these patients. This article is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all the aspects of the evaluation and management of patients with elbow dislocations; instead, this paper seeks to distill key facets of management based on the current literature and years of practice.
