Management of the paralyzed elbow in tetraplegia

The flail elbow: Every surgeon's nightmare

A flail elbow joint has an excessive or abnormal degree of mobility resulting in loss of function. Such a situation can arise from structural damage or loss of neuromuscular control. Structural damage may be in terms of loss of integrity of bony, ligamentous, or both components, and this is commonly caused by trauma, failed arthroplasty, infections - either in the native joint or associated with the above, or inflammatory arthritides. Arm paralysis from any cause may also leads to a loss of muscle control making the elbow flail. The management of the condition varies according to etiology; and concurrent issues like infection and instability need to be addressed in addition to the structural problems. Treatment can be non-surgical with the use of orthotics to support the elbow, and maybe more appropriate in certain circumstances. Surgical treatment can involve fixation, repair or reconstruction. Often the deficiency is not amenable to these methods and arthroplasty has to be considered. The situation becomes more fraught in case of failure of arthroplasty and/or infection, where reconstruction can be challenging. In this review we have considered diverse clinical scenarios that fall under this broad umbrella, with a focus on those encountered commonly in practice.

Hand Reconstruction in Children with Spinal Cord Injury

Comprehensive programs for children who sustain traumatic spinal cord injury should incorporate optimizing hand and upper extremity function along with the other traditional pillars of rehabilitation. Children's smaller anatomy, open growth plates, and future skeletal growth, combined with the age-related psychosocial impact of these injuries, require protocols suited to these age-related issues. There is a role for surgical reconstruction, as is the case for adults with traumatic tetraplegia, and surgical outcomes are equally beneficial and long lasting. Strict adherence to surgical indications, and surgical strategies and protocols that incorporate their age-related challenges, are the keys to successful management.