National registries provide useful information in understanding outcomes of surgeries that have late sequelae, especially for rare operations such as total elbow arthroplasty (TEA). A systematic search was performed and data were compiled from the registries to compare total elbow arthroplasty outcomes and evaluate trends. We included six registries from Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom and Sweden. Inflammatory arthritis was the most common indication for total elbow arthroplasty, followed by acute fracture and osteoarthritis. When comparing 2000–2009 to 2010–2017 data, total elbow arthroplasty for inflammatory arthritis decreased and total elbow arthroplasty for fracture and osteoarthritis increased. There was an increase in the number of revision TEAs over this time period. The range of indications for total elbow arthroplasty is broadening; total elbow arthroplasty for acute trauma and osteoarthritis is becoming increasingly more common. However, inflammatory arthritis remains the most common indication in recent years. This change is accompanied by an increase in the incidence of revision surgery. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2020;5:215-220. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.5.190036

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Radial head and neck fractures represent up to 14% of all pediatric elbow fractures and can be a difficult challenge in the pediatric patient. In up to 39% of proximal radius fractures, there is a concomitant fracture, which can easily be overlooked on the initial standard radiographs. The treatment options for proximal radius fractures in children range from non-surgical treatment, such as immobilization alone and closed reduction followed by immobilization, to more invasive options, including closed reduction with percutaneous pinning and open reduction with internal fixation. The choice of treatment depends on the degree of angulation and displacement of the fracture and the age of the patient; an angulation of less than 30 degrees and translation of less than 50% is generally accepted, whereas a higher degree of displacement is considered an indication for surgical intervention. Fractures with limited displacement and non-surgical treatment generally result in superior outcomes in terms of patient-reported outcome measures, range of motion and complications compared to severely displaced fractures requiring surgical intervention. With proper management, good to excellent results are achieved in most cases, and long-term sequelae are rare. However, severe complications do occur, including radio-ulnar synostosis, osteonecrosis, rotational impairment, and premature physeal closure with a malformation of the radial head as a result, especially after more invasive procedures. Adequate follow-up is therefore warranted.