A radial head fracture is often referred to as a broken elbow. The radial head is a round, disc-shaped bone and is central to the elbow's ability to move in all directions. It is the most common type of broken bone in the elbow. Treatment varies depending on the type and severity of the fracture.
Radial Head fracture
Radial head fractures are usually caused when someone is falling, stretches out his arm and lands on it. The jolt causes the radial head to fracture. Direct trauma to the elbow can also resort in a radial head fracture. The first and most obvious symptom is pain and swelling in the elbow.
Type I
Type I fractures are the mildest type of fracture. They are small cracks in the bone. The bone pieces are still together and not separated. Sometimes, the cracks cannot even be seen on preliminary X-rays, although they usually do appear on X-rays after two or three weeks. Treatment is usually movement immobilization with a splint or sling for a week, then gentle movement for another week.
Type II
Type II fractures happen when the bones are slightly displaced. For the mildest cases, a splint is used for one or two weeks. Sometimes, small pieces of bone need to be surgically removed. If the pieces are large and can be put back together, the surgeon may screw or pin them in place. If this is not possible, the large broken pieces may have to be removed, or the entire radial head may even have to be removed. Soft tissue damage may have to be repaired as well.
Type III
Type III fractures are rare. In this type of fracture, there are many pieces of broken bone that cannot be put back together. In addition, there is usually severe damage to the soft tissues, such as joints and ligaments. Surgery is required to repair the soft tissue damage as well as remove all broken pieces of bone. If the elbow is very unstable without the radial head, an artificial one may be used, but this is not always necessary. Movement directly after surgery is important for restoring motion to the elbow.
Warning
Even the slightest fracture will result in a smaller range of motion in the elbow. For that reason, physical therapy will be advised before resumption of normal activities, especially in the case of athletes or others who use their elbow in rigorous activities. Physical therapy can range from formal office visits to a sheet of instructions that you can take home and perform yourself.
Tags: radial head, head fracture, radial head fracture, Type fractures, Type Type