Abstract

To determine outcomes following surgical management of terrible triad injuries in patients treated with and without a hinged elbow orthosis (HEO) in the post-operative setting.This study was a retrospective review of 41 patients who underwent surgical treatment of terrible triad injuries including radial head fracture, coronoid fracture, and ulnohumeral dislocation between 2008 and 2023 with at least 10-week follow-up.Nineteen patients were treated post-operatively without HEO, and 22 patients were treated with HEO. There were no differences in range of motion (ROM) between patients treated with and without HEO in final flexion-extension arc (118.4° no HEO, 114.6° HEO, p?=?0.59) or pronation-supination arc (147.8° no HEO, 141.4° HEO, p?=?0.27). Five patients treated without HEO and one patient treated with HEO returned to the operating room for stiffness (26%, 5%, p?=?0.08). QuickDASH scores were similar between groups (p?=?0.69).This study found no difference in post-operative ROM, complications, or QuickDASH scores in patients treated post-operatively with or without HEO. Based on these results, we cannot determine whether the use of HEO adds additional stability to the elbow while initiating ROM exercises post-operatively.

View details for DOI 10.1007/s00590-024-03843-8

View details for PubMedID 38403660

View details for PubMedCentralID 6583215