RECURRENT POSTERIOR DISLOCATION OF THE HEAD OF THE RADIUS IN POSTTRAUMATIC CUBITUS VARUS

Four patients who had injured the lower end of the humerus in childhoo d with resulting cubitus varus developed recurrent posterior dislocati on of the head of the radius after further injury to the elbow. Disloc ation occurred when the forearm was supinated and spontaneous reductio n took place on pronation. At operation the lateral ligament complex w as seen to be lax and elongated. After tightening of the ligament and pith a supracondylar osteotomy of the humerus to correct the cubitus v arus the recurrent dislocation was eliminated.