Common elbow injuries in children

Abstract

Elbow injuries are one of the commonest paediatric musculoskeletal injuries. Their spectrum varies from pulled elbow to elbow dislocation. Supracondylar fractures are the most common type of paediatric elbow fractures accounting for 65–75 % of all paediatric elbow injuries. Other common paediatric elbow injuries include Lateral condyle fractures, Medial epicondyle fractures, Radial neck fractures, olecranon fractures, TRASH injuries and Elbow dislocations. Osteochondral fractures in kids can be missed due to their benign appearance or invisibility on x rays. TRASH stands for “The Radiological Appearance Seems Harmless”. In contrast to the full form, the abbreviation TRASH tells the harmful consequences of missing these injuries. This article will discuss the salient points regarding common elbow injuries, their diagnosis and best treatment practices. It will help the caregivers to be more prepared to deal with these situations and thus avoiding complications and getting better outcomes.