Painful Snapping Elbow in Patients With Congenital Radioulnar Synostosis: Report of Two Cases

Painful Locking Elbow in a Child with Congenital Proximal Radioulnar Synostosis

“…Resection led to a good outcome in the form of painless full elbow ROM. The finding of an annular ligament-like tissue was also present in a report of 2 cases by Shinohara et al, 9 which was evaluated and treated arthroscopically. Both patients had a tight fibrous structure wrapped around the radial head.…”

“…3,8 The occurrence of an acute flexion contracture associated with painful snapping of the elbow in children with congenital proximal radioulnar synostosis type IV was previously reported. 1,2,4,5,9 Kurihara et al 10 and Takamine et al, 11 in addition to Masuko et al, 2 Wang et al, 4 Shinohara et al, 9 and Aykut et al, 5 found annular ligament-like structures to cause painful locking elbows in proximal radioulnar synostosis. We reported similar pathology after operative exploration (Table 1).…”

“…Because these findings were not specific, MRI may be difficult to interpret in patients with snapping or locking of the elbow. 9,12 Wang et al 4 published 3 cases of children who reported the painful snapping of unilateral elbows. The first case was manipulated under GA and resulted in painless full ROM of the elbow.…”

Elbow Locking Caused by Annular Ligament in a Patient with Congenital Radioulnar Synostosis: A Case Report and Literature Review

“…This approach allows the intraarticular pathology to be directly observed, and elbow dynamic examination to be evaluated. Pathologic tissues can be removed with this tool (5,6,10). This is the third case report of elbow locking in a patient with radioulnar synostosis in the English literature.…”

Case report

“…Shinohara et al . 3 reported on two arthroscopic cases that required more advanced techniques for the excision of this structure to restore the elbow ROM. Masuko et al .…”