The elbow surgeon needs some familiarity with exposures of the forearm. These approaches require understanding the local anatomy because the forearm contains a number of neurovascular structures at risk during exposure. There are three clinically relevant surgical exposures for the…
Introduction Few joints require familiarity with as many surgical exposures as does the elbow. Depending on the lesion and the surgical goal, the joint and the surrounding region may be approached from the lateral, posterior, medial, or anterior direction. It…
Introduction Occasionally, it becomes necessary to perform extensile surgical exposures to the humerus for trauma, malignancy or revision elbow surgery with periprosthetic fracture, or severe and significant bone loss where allograft prosthetic composites are planned. In this chapter, we will…
Introduction Ultrasound (US) has continued to evolve to become an extremely useful diagnostic imaging modality in the detection of various soft tissue pathologies around the elbow: tendons, ligaments, and nerves. The superficial location of the elbow allows for excellent high-resolution…
Introduction Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has gained wide acceptance as a complementary tool in the diagnosis of disorders of the musculoskeletal system, largely due to its excellent depiction of soft tissues. Within the past decade, MRI at 3 T has become…
Introduction Extensive research and development in CT in the past decade have yielded significant enhancements in image acquisition and processing efficiency, image resolution, and reconstruction capability, as well as artifact reduction capacity. Although radiographs, MRI, and ultrasonography have broader clinical…
Introduction Plain-film radiography remains standard in the evaluation of the elbow. A radiographic series, including anteroposterior (AP), oblique, and lateral projections, provides valuable information about the bone, joints, and soft tissues. They are a mainstay for fracture evaluation and often…
Introduction Elbow function consists of three elements: (1) positions the hand in space, (2) stabilizes the upper extremity linkage, and (3) generates power to perform lifting activities. The essential joint functions that form the basis of functional assessment strategies are…
Introduction This chapter deals with the basics of a general comprehensive history and physical examination of the elbow. Specific and focused features of the history and examination are pictured with the various conditions described in the following sections. History Without…
Introduction The very basic function of the upper extremity depends largely on a functional elbow joint. A complex joint, the elbow, serves as a link in the lever arm system that positions the hand, as a fulcrum of the forearm…