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Pediatric Elbow Dislocations: Acute Management

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Pediatric Elbow Fractures

Abstract

Traumatic elbow dislocations are uncommon in children, and account for only about 3–6% of all elbow injuries [1]. Overall, however, the elbow is the most commonly dislocated major joint in the pediatric population, and represents up to 25% of all elbow injuries in some series [2]. The injury frequently occurs with an associated fracture or avulsion injury in as many as 75% of children in one study [3], most commonly involving the medial epicondyle [4–6]. Open injuries are rare [3]. The peak incidence of elbow dislocation occurs during the second decade of life, and it is more commonly seen in males [7] and are most commonly the result of a fall onto an outstretched hand. Elbow dislocations are becoming increasingly more common in association with various sport-related activities, especially contact sports, such as wrestling and football [8]. These injuries rarely occur in children younger than 3 years of age; in this age group, a transphyseal fracture, an injury associated with child abuse, may appear radiographically to the inexperienced physician as an elbow dislocation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Matthew Varacallo M.D.

  2. Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Darshan Parikh & Kush Mody

  3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Martin J. Herman M.D.

Authors
  1. Matthew Varacallo M.D.
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  2. Darshan Parikh
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  3. Kush Mody
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  4. Martin J. Herman M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin J. Herman M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Orthopedics and Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Joshua M. Abzug

  2. St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Martin J. Herman

  3. Shriners Hospitals for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Scott Kozin

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Varacallo, M., Parikh, D., Mody, K., Herman, M.J. (2018). Pediatric Elbow Dislocations: Acute Management. In: Abzug, J., Herman, M., Kozin, S. (eds) Pediatric Elbow Fractures. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68004-0_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68004-0_12

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-68002-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-68004-0

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