Floating Dislocated Elbow: A Variant with Articular Fracture of the Humerus

Floating Dislocated Elbow: A Case Report

“…Simpson and Jupiter [14] stated in their review article that when the floating elbow affects the joint, open reduction and internal fixation is advisable. De Carli et al, [15] based on their case report and review of the literature made an effort to categorize ''floating dislocated elbow'' injuries according to severity and morphologic complexity: Type I: Floating dislocated elbow without articular bone injury [4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”

Combined Ipsilateral Humeral Shaft and Galeazzi Fractures Creating a Floating Elbow Variant

“…The combination of humeral shaft and forearm fractures results in a “floating elbow” injury which requires open reduction and internal fixation of all fractures to allow for preservation of elbow joint motion and minimization of stiffness [ 1 – 3 ]. Variants have been described which include ipsilateral diaphyseal humeral fracture, proximal ulna fracture with proximal radioulnar joint disruption (Monteggia fracture), and ipsilateral diaphyseal humeral fracture with elbow dislocation and both bones forearm fracture [ 4 – 8 ]. We describe here a case of a patient who sustained an ipsilateral humeral shaft fracture and Galeazzi fracture from a torsional and axial loading injury to her upper extremity.…”

Repeated floating elbow injury after high-energy trauma

“…A type-3 lesion, including associated neurovascular damage of overlying soft tissue elements, with or without simultaneous articular involvement, was later described [7]. Two reports of rare variants of floating elbow injury have been published [8, 9], but to the best of our knowledge no recurrence of this injury has been described. We present a complex pattern of injury, occurring in the same limb 3 years after the healing of a floating elbow lesion, which included supracondylar fracture of the humerus and associated ipsilateral midshaft fracture of forearm bones (i.e., iterative floating elbow injury).…”