External fixation

 

External fixator elbow 1External Fixator Elbow 2

 

Indications

 

Persistent instability despite radial head ORIF / arthroplasty, coronoid ORIF, LCL / MCL repair

 

Results

 

Iordens et al CORR 2015

- 27 patients with hinged external fixation

- 128 degrees of flexion / extension

- 37% fixator-related complication

- 26% secondary surgery

- one recurrent instability

 

Ring et al CORR 2014

- 19 patients with hinged external fixation v 10 with elbow cross pinning

- no difference in ROM

- increased complications with external fixation

 

Options

 

Fixed external fixation

Hinged external fixation

Internal joint stabilizer

 

Fixed external fixation

 

AO surgery reference fixed external fixation

 

Lateral humeral pin Ulna pins

 

Anterior to radial nerve

 

 

Subcutaneous border of ulna

 

 

elb ex fixelb ex fix

 

Hinged external fixation

 

Distal humeral axis

- confirm center of rotation on lateral

- protect ulna nerve

- place guide wire in center of rotation

 

AO surgery reference hinged external fixator

 

Compass Hinge Centre of Rotation

 

Lateral humeral pin Medial humeral pin Ulna pins

Anterior to radial nerve

Posterior to ulna nerve

 

Subcutaneous border of ulna

 

 

Compass Hinge Lateral XrayCompass Hinge AP Xray

 

Compass HInge Medial ClinicalCompass Hinge Clinical

 

Internal joint stabilizer

 

IJSIJS

IJS Elbow Stabilization System 

 

Concept

 

Dynamic internal fixator

 

Technique

 

Crescenzo et al JSES Rev technique PDF

 

Vumedi IJS elbow video

 

Results

 

Orbay et al JSES 2017

- 24 patients treated with IJS-E

- 1/24 redislocated - coronoid deficient

 

Heifner et al J Hand Surg Glob 2023

- systematic review of 171 elbow dislocations treated with IJS-E

- implant failure 4%

- recurrent instability 4%