Orthonotes
Orthonotes
by the.bonestories
v3.5 Fusion Pro
v3.5 Fusion Pro
trauma topic hub

Elbow Dislocations — Terrible Triad

Terrible triad = posterior elbow dislocation + radial head fracture + coronoid fracture. Highly unstable pattern, requires surgical fixation of all components. Goal: concentric reduction + early mobilization in stable arc. Complications: stiffness, recurrent instability, arthritis, heterotopic ossification.

Overview

Topic summary

View wiki
Terrible triad = posterior elbow dislocation + radial head fracture + coronoid fracture. Highly unstable pattern, requires surgical fixation of all components. Goal: concentric reduction + early mobilization in stable arc. Complications: stiffness, recurrent instability, arthritis, heterotopic ossification.
MCQs

High-yield practice questions

Start topic quiz