Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Chronic elbow instability, particularly following neglected or recurrent dislocations, presents a significant treatment challenge. Restoring stability while preserving functional motion is difficult, especially when standard internal joint stabilizers (IJS) are unavailable. We explored the use of a readily available small T-plate, modified intraoperatively, as a temporary internal hinge stabilizer.
Case presentation: A 33-year-old male presented with chronic left elbow instability and functional impairment persisting for 14 years after an initial injury. Previous treatments, including traditional bone setting and K-wire fixation, had failed, resulting in recurrent dislocations. Surgical exploration revealed significant fibrosis and compromised ligamentous structures. Open reduction was performed, followed by stabilization using a modified small T-plate contoured to act as an internal hinge, maintaining the ulnohumeral joint space. The implant was removed after 4 weeks. At the 24-month follow-up, the patient exhibited excellent functional outcomes, with a stable elbow, substantial improvement in range of motion (Flexion-extension: 4.2°-129.2°; Pronation-supination: 80°), and an excellent Broberg-Morrey score, enabling pain-free daily activities.
Conclusion: This case demonstrated that a modified small T-plate can serve as an effective, low-cost internal hinge joint stabilizer for managing complex chronic elbow instability, particularly in resource-limited settings. It facilitated early controlled motion, promoted stable fibrous tissue healing, and resulted in excellent long-term functional outcomes. This technique presents a viable alternative when standard IJS devices are not accessible.
Keywords
Article Details
As our aim is to disseminate original research article, hence the publishing right is a necessary one. The publishing right is needed in order to reach the agreement between the author and publisher. As the journal is fully open access, the authors will sign an exclusive license agreement.
The authors have the right to:
- Share their article in the same ways permitted to third parties under the relevant user license.
- Retain copyright, patent, trademark and other intellectual property rights including research data.
- Proper attribution and credit for the published work.
For the open access article, the publisher is granted to the following right.
- The non-exclusive right to publish the article and grant right to others.
- For the published article, the publisher applied for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.