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An uncommon variant of the Essex-Lopresti injury

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Abstract

The Essex-Lopresti injury is an extremely rare condition combining radial head or neck fracture, distal radio-ulnar joint dislocation and rupture of the interosseous membrane. However, there are rare or unusual varieties or associated injuries. We report a case of a 46-year-old woman with a posterior dislocation of the radio-humeral joint, a radial shaft fracture, and a distal radio-ulnar joint dislocation. She underwent open reduction and internal fixation of the radial shaft fracture followed by an immobilization by a long elbow splint in supination for 6 weeks. At 18 months of follow-up, she was asymptomatic and she had a full range of elbow and wrist motion and had resumed thoroughly her previous job. The Essex-Lopresti injury results from a complex injury to the forearm axis with resultant longitudinal instability, which can be challenging to treat. There are some variations that can lead to a missed diagnosis resulting in persistent pain and instability of the wrist. The best outcomes are reached with early diagnosis and prompt management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Trauma Center, Ben Arous, Tunisia

    Mohamed Ali Kedous, Ahmed Msakni, Wael Chebbi, Mourad Zaraa & Mondher Mbarek

  2. Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia

    Mohamed Ali Kedous

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  1. Mohamed Ali Kedous
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  2. Ahmed Msakni
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  3. Wael Chebbi
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  4. Mourad Zaraa
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  5. Mondher Mbarek
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Correspondence to Mohamed Ali Kedous.

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Kedous, M.A., Msakni, A., Chebbi, W. et al. An uncommon variant of the Essex-Lopresti injury. Skeletal Radiol 47, 397–400 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-017-2782-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-017-2782-7

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