Year: 2025 | Month: December | Volume: 12 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 1-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20251201
Conservative Management of a Posterior Elbow Dislocation in an Adolescent with an Incomplete Olecranon Fracture: A Case Report
I Gede Wiranugraha Mahayasa1, I Made Artana2
1General Practitioner of Patut Patuh Patju Regional Hospital
2Consultant of Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department, Patut Patuh Patju Regional Hospital
Corresponding Author: I Gede Wiranugraha Mahayasa
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Elbow dislocation if accompanied by a fracture may increase risk of unstable joint and other structure damage, therefore requires surgical treatment. For the cases of simple stable elbow fracture dislocation including Mayo Type 1A olecranon fractures, guidelines still pointed for non-operative management even after years it has never been changed or updated it is used all over the world. This study aims to prove that guidelines for this type of case is still recommended to be used after years of its release.
Case report: A 15 years old Male with main complaint of pain on his left elbow following a fell in his house, neurovascular exam result is good. Physical exam and X-ray showed a posterior elbow dislocation with incomplete olecranon fracture, treatment were opted for nonoperative management starting with reduction maneuver, then home care with an arm cast and arm sling and active range of motion exercise immediately. After 7 days, his pain has reduced, X-ray showed good alignment and still has visible incomplete fracture. By three weeks, pain had been subsided, X-rays indicated good alignment and much less visible olecranon fracture, then removed his arm fixation and educate the patient to try active range of motion gradually and also educate him to to come back if there’s any complaint.
Discussion: Managing simple stable posterior elbow fracture dislocation is always closed reduction due to good outcomes and simple relatively an easy option. A 15-year-old student with an Elbow Dislocation accompanied with Mayo Type 1A undisplaced olecranon fracture still managed by using nonoperative method. He showed significant improvement after three weeks.
Conclusion: Conservative management is a success with this case of a Teenage Posterior Elbow Dislocation with Incomplete Olecranon Fracture. Even after all these years, this method remains the best and the easiest for this common cases.
Keywords: Elbow fracture dislocation, posterior elbow dislocation, Mayo olecranon fracture classification, Mayo type 1A, conservative treatment
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