Management of fractures and dislocations of the elbow in children.

Elbow injuries are common in children. The keys to a good outcome include timely, accurate characterization of the injury, stable anatomic reduction, utilization of closed treatment methods whenever possible and limited soft tissue dissection when operative treatment is required. Awareness of the developmental physeal anatomy of the elbow, common injury patterns and potential complications are essential in the management of these injuries. This review presents a practical approach to the management of elbow traumatic injury in the child, providing guidelines for evaluation and treatment for the less common pediatric elbow injuries.