The floating elbow in children is somewhat rare but a serious injury. Reduction, as well as stabilization of the displaced fractures, is a must for such cases. This article deals with a brief introduction of floating elbow focussing mainly on the diagnosis and management of floating elbow fractures. Overview: What is a Floating Elbow? Floating Elbow is an injury pattern which involves a fracture of the humerus and a fracture of the radius and ulna in the same extremity.
Floating Elbow can be associated with an elbow dislocation in patients who experience high-energy injurie s . The location of the fracture may govern the treatment options. Regardless of the occurrence of the fracture, if the elbow remains dislocated from the shoulder and the arm, such fracture is presumed to be floating . Most of these fractures are a result of high-energy injuries in adults. However, incidences of…
