INFANTILE DISLOCATION OF THE ELBOW COMPLICATING OBSTETRIC PALSY

This is a report of three cases of complete dislocation of both the ra dius and ulna at the elbow in infants born with obstetric palsy. All t hree patients had painless elbow-flexion contractures. The pathologic anatomy included (a) medial and posterior displacement of the radius a nd ulna on the humerus, (b) laxity of the lateral capsule and collater al ligaments, (c) contracted medial capsule and collateral ligaments, (d) contracted biceps and triceps muscles, and (e) hypoplasia of the c apitellum, trochlea, coronoid process, and olecranon fossa. Open reduc tion was attempted in all three of these patients and was successful i n two.