RADIAL HEAD FRACTURES

Course overview

RADIAL HEAD FRACTURES ACCOUNT FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE IN THREE ELBOW FRACTURES AND 1 TO 4 PERCENT OF ALL FRACTURES IN ADULTS. IN THE PAST, THE RADIAL HEAD WAS DEEMED INSIGNIFICANT AND FELT TO HAVE LITTLE INFLUENCE ON ELBOW ANATOMY AND BIOMECHANICS, SO ITS EXCISION WAS FREQUENTLY INDICATED. LONG-TERM OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE RADIAL HEAD HAVE SHOWN UNDESIRABLE CONSEQUENCES. TREATMENT AND PROGNOSIS OF RADIAL HEAD FRACTURES ARE TYPICALLY DEPENDENT ON THE ASSOCIATED INJURIES AT THE TIME OF PRESENTATION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSES, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION OF RADIAL HEAD FRACTURES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THEIR MANAGEMENT.