The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 73, Issue 3 392-396, Copyright © 1991 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Chronic posterior subluxation and dislocation of the radial head
SN Bell, BF Morrey and AJ Bianco
Department of Orthopedics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
The clinical and radiographic features of chronic posterior subluxation or
dislocation of the radial head were studied in thirty-four elbows of
twenty-seven patients. Three characteristic radiographic types were noted:
Type I, subluxation; Type II, posterior dislocation with minimum
displacement; and Type III, posterior dislocation with substantial proximal
migration of the radius. Follow-up of eighteen patients (twenty-one elbows)
revealed that posterior displacement did not usually cause serious
functional impairment except for loss of rotation of the forearm. The least
common presentation, Type-I subluxation, caused pain and clicking and was
associated with late degenerative arthritis. Cosmetic deformity due to
prominence of the radial head was also a cosmetic problem, particularly
with Type-III dislocation.