A rare case of Elbow dislocation with medial epicondyle fracture associated to ulnar neuropraxia

Abstract

The association between elbow dislocation, medial epicondyle fracture with intra-articular fragment entrapment and ulnar neuropraxia is very unfrequent with only a few cases reported in the literature, the mechanism of injury of the ulnar nerve is still unknown. This injury requires surgical management with stable fixation of the medial epicondyle fragment to allow early range of motion, the choice whether or not to perform an ulnar decompression and nerve transposition remains a controversy between orthopedic surgeons. We present the case of a 14-year-old patient that suffered an elbow dislocation with intra-articular entrapment of the medial epicondyle and ulnar neuropraxia that was managed with open reduction and fixation of the medial epicondyle with good functional outcomes.

Median nerve entrapment in an adolescent medial epicondyle fracture of humerus: a case report

“…Ulnar nerve injury has been well-described in pediatric elbow trauma and is most common in dislocations with medial epicondyle avulsion fractures. [ 3 , 4 ] In contrast, dysfunction or incarceration of the median nerve is rarer in pediatric elbow injuries. Median nerve entrapment has been reported to occur in 3% of pediatric elbow dislocations.…”