What is the anatomy of an elbow joint?

The elbow joint is made up of three bones namely the humerus (arm bone), the ulna (forearm inner bone) & the radius (forearm outer bone). Of these 90% of the joint surface is between the Humerus & the Ulna called the ulna-humeral joint.

What are the most common injuries of the elbow joint?

The most common injury is a supracondylar fracture (lower humerus) both in pediatric & adult age groups, followed by the lateral condyle fracture & olecranon fracture. 

What happens if elbow injuries are not treated properly?

Being a superficial bone any neglect in treatment will lead to visible deformity at the elbow & more importantly there will be compromise in function too as it will lead to movement restriction of the elbow.

What is the basis of elbow function?

The distal humerus functions as a fulcrum for the hinge formed by the olecranon, in the event of an injury or a fracture this fulcrum needs restoration to achieve good results. 

Meticulous planning & execution are needed to restore the 3 pillars of the lower humerus if fractured & the olecranon needs to be taken care of if fractured otherwise the fulcrum gets disrupted. 

What type of implants are used to fix elbow fractures?

Special pre-contoured plates are used which are manufactured especially for elbow fractures. This plate brings back the normal geometry of the bone as many times the fracture has multiple small fragments that cannot be fixed individually, so these plates help in reconfiguring the fracture well.

These plates are made of special titanium alloy which is MRI compatible so there are no issues regarding elbow imaging in future too

What is the post-operative rehabilitation of elbow fractures?

It completely depends upon the type of injury sustained but in most elbow fractures we can mobilize the elbow immediately after the surgery to avoid stiffness. The elbow becomes stiff very quickly so immediate mobilization is the key to success.