Elbow luxation in a patient with congenital dislocation of the radial head

Abstract

Elbow dislocations are commonly seen and can occur after trauma or be congenital. The literature on congenital dislocations is scarce. No cases of an additional luxation of a pre-existing congenital radial head dislocation with a traumatic ulnohumeral dislocation have been described. This case involves a young man with no prior history who presented after trauma of the right elbow. He presented with pain, and his radial head was palpable behind the olecranon, and on imaging it appeared to be more proximal. After additional imaging, the dislocation of the radial head turned out to be congenital combined with an additional luxation of the ulna. This finding influenced our diagnostic approach and reposition method, which, instead of only traction–countertraction, also included pronation and supination.This case highlights the clinical importance of identifying and recognising a patient with a congenital dislocation of the radial head and an additional luxation of the elbow.