1. Today, we will discuss a complex elbow injury known as the "terrible triad," focusing on a middle-aged woman who experienced this injury, how it was treated, and her recovery process.
2. The patient, a right-handed woman, sustained a severe injury to her right elbow after a fall. This type of injury is often referred to as the "terrible triad" because it involves three key components: a fracture of the radial head and neck, a fracture of the coronoid process of the ulna, and a dislocation of the ulnohumeral joint.
3. In this case, the treatment plan involved two main components. First, proximal radius fixation was performed to stabilize the fractured radial head and neck.
4. Second, the lateral ligament complex-which includes key stabilizing ligaments on the outer side of the elbow-was repaired.
5. However, despite the initial surgery, the fixation of the radial head did not hold, and the patient experienced failure of the fixation.
6. Given the failure of the fixation and the complexity of the injury, the next step was to perform a radial head replacement surgery. This procedure involves removing the damaged radial head and replacing it with a prosthetic implant. This surgery aims to restore the function of the elbow joint, providing stability and allowing for improved range of motion.
7. Fast forward to three months post-operation, and the patient is experiencing a fairly good result. While recovery from such a complex injury can be slow and challenging, the radial head replacement has allowed her elbow joint to regain function. The patient's pain has decreased, and her ability to move the elbow is improving.
Dr. Dharmalingam Muthiah
Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon
Gleneagles Hospital Kota Kinabalu
Clinic(DL): +6088518879
Whatsapp: +601136661140
#drdharmalingammuthiah #drdharma #orthopaedicandtraumasurgeon #orthopaedicasurgeon #traumasurgeon #jointreplacement #sportsreconstructive #terribletriad #elbowinjury #radialheadandneck #ulnohumeraljoint #lateralligamentcomplex #radialheadreplacement