Lateral collateral ligament complex of the elbow
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Domenico Nicoletti had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Domenico Nicoletti's current disclosures- Radial collateral ligament complex
- Lateral (radial) collateral ligament complex
- Lateral collateral ligamentous complex
- Radial collateral ligamentous complex
- Lateral collateral ligament complex
The lateral collateral ligament complex or radial collateral ligament complex is a major lateral stabilizer of the elbow joint and resists varus stress.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The LCL is a Y-shaped ligamentous complex composed of three parts 1,2:
-
from sigmoid notch to supinator crest of the ulna bone
forms a sling around the radial head
-
anterior lateral epicondyle to annular ligament and supinator muscle fascia
-
lateral ulnar collateral ligament
lateral epicondyle to supinator crest of the ulna
Variant anatomy
-
accessory lateral collateral ligament 1
may be present in up to 33% of patients
runs from annular ligament to supinator crest
acts to reinforce the annular ligament
absence of lateral ulnar collateral ligament 1
Related pathology
posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI): can occur from injury to lateral collateral ligament complex of the elbow
lateral collateral ligament complex tears: varus stress in an extended elbow can lead to lateral epicondyle/LCL complex avulsion most commonly proximally at the insertion to the lateral epicondyle 2
References
- 1. Stein JM, Cook TS, Simonson S et-al. Normal and variant anatomy of the elbow on magnetic resonance imaging. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2011;19 (3): 609-19. doi:10.1016/j.mric.2011.05.002 - Pubmed citation
- 2. Teixeira PA, Omoumi P, Trudell DJ et-al. Ultrasound assessment of the lateral collateral ligamentous complex of the elbow: imaging aspects in cadavers and normal volunteers. Eur Radiol. 2011;21 (7): 1492-8. doi:10.1007/s00330-011-2076-8 - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
- 3. Brukner P, Khan K. Clinical Sports Medicine Third Revised Edition. Springer. (2010) ISBN:1441959726. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. Conti Mica M, Caekebeke P, van Riet R. Lateral Collateral Ligament Injuries of the Elbow - Chronic Posterolateral Rotatory Instability (PLRI). EFORT Open Rev. 2016;1(12):461-8. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.160033
Incoming Links
- Humerus
- Posterolateral rotatory instability of the elbow
- Proximal radioulnar joint
- Common extensor origin of the elbow
- Annular ligament of the elbow
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (R)
- Elbow
- MRI of the elbow (an approach)
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (L)
- Extensor carpi ulnaris muscle
- Movements of the forearm
- Elbow instability
- Lateral epicondylitis
- Radial head
- Lateral ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow
- Elbow protocol (MRI)
- Radial collateral ligament of the elbow
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-
skeleton of the upper limb[+][+]
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- humerus
- radius
- ulna
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-
accessory ossicles of the wrist (mnemonic)
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pectoral girdle[+][+]
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shoulder joint
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glenohumeral joint
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shoulder joint
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elbow joint
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- alignment[+][+]
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ligaments
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anterior compartment of the forearm
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arteries
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- brachial artery (proximal portion)
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arteries
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brachial plexus (mnemonic)
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