Fractura-luxación del complejo distal del codo, ¿es la tétrada terrible una nueva entidad?

Objective

To describe the terrible tetrad and treatment algorithm in patients and cadaver models to differentiate it from other entities that affect the distal elbow complex and the differences in their treatment.

Material and methodology

We studied 7 patients (5 women and 2 men) with a mean age of 51 years, who had had posterior or posterolateral elbow dislocation associated with fracture of coronoid process, radial head and olecranon. We reproduced the lesional association tetrad in 3 cadaveric specimens. Treatment included the reduction and stabilization of the coronoid process. We appreciate the clinical results with Broberg and Morrey scales and DASH.

Results

Of the 7 patients who underwent surgery, 4 had to be re-operated. The average functional outcome with Broberg and Morrey scale was fair, 77 (96-38) points, and the DASH was 30 (78-10). The range of flexion and extension was 96° (range 120-45°) and pronosupination of 126° (range 150-40°), mean supination of 57° (range 70-40°) and pronation 48.5° (range 60-30°).

Conclusion

In the terrible elbow tetrad the main challenge is the correct preoperative diagnosis and good results are obtained with a stable elbow through proper surgical planning, individualizing rebuilding and repairing articular surfaces and ligamentous structures in a single approach.