Medial collateral ligament complex of the elbow
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Chieng R, Roberts D, et al. Medial collateral ligament complex of the elbow. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 03 Dec 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-29742
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rID:
29742
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Raymond Chieng had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Raymond Chieng's current disclosures
Revisions:
8 times, by
8 contributors -
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Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Medial (ulnar) collateral ligament complex
- Ulnar collateral ligament complex
- Triangular ulnar collateral ligament
The medial (ulnar) collateral ligament (MCL/UCL) complex is a major stabilizer of the elbow joint and resists valgus stress.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The MCL complex runs from the humerus to the ulna and is composed of three parts 1,3,4,7:
-
anterior bundle
inferior medial epicondyle to the sublime tubercle of the medial coronoid process
cord-like
-
posterior bundle
medial epicondyle to the medial olecranon
thickening of the joint capsule
-
transverse (or oblique) bundle (Cooper's ligament)
runs between the inferior fibers of the anterior and posterior bundles (i.e. medial olecranon to medial coronoid process)
almost no role in elbow stabilization
Variant anatomy
accessory ligament (also known as extra band): posterior joint capsule to the transverse ligament (25%) 1
Radiographic features
MRI
the anterior band is the only part of the MCL complex which is delineated as a separate structure and is best seen on coronal images
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. Tribst MF, Zoppi A, Camargo JC et-al. Anatomical and functional study of the medial collateral ligament complex of the elbow. Acta Ortop Bras. 2012;20 (6): 334-8. doi:10.1590/S1413-78522012000600004 - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
- 3. Magnetic resonance imaging in orthopedic sports medicine. Springer. ISBN:0387488979. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. Miller MD, Sanders TG. Presentation, Imaging and Treatment of Common Musculoskeletal Conditions: MRI-Arthroscopy Correlation (Expert Consult - Online and Print), 1e. Saunders. ISBN:1437709141. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 5. Yochum TR, Rowe LJ. Essentials of Skeletal Radiology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2005) ISBN:0781739462. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 6. Sheehan SE, Dyer GS, Sodickson AD et-al. Traumatic elbow injuries: what the orthopedic surgeon wants to know. Radiographics. 2013;33 (3): 869-88. doi:10.1148/rg.333125176 - Pubmed citation
- 7. Daniels DL, Mallisee TA, Erickson SJ et-al. The elbow joint: osseous and ligamentous structures. Radiographics. 1998;18 (1): 229-36. doi:10.1148/radiographics.18.1.9460127 - Pubmed citation
- 8. Rahman R, Levine W, Ahmad C. Elbow Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2008;1(3-4):197-204. doi:10.1007/s12178-008-9026-3 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Valgus instability of the elbow
- Chronic elbow instability
- Proximal radioulnar joint
- Valgus extension overload syndrome
- Terrible triad of the elbow
- Sports injuries: overhead elbow
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (U)
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (M)
- Elbow
- MRI of the elbow (an approach)
- Triquetrum
- Common flexor origin of the elbow
- Ulna
- Elbow instability
- T sign (elbow MRI)
Cases:
- Ulnar collateral ligament tear
- Partial tear of medial collateral ligament of the elbow
- Complete tears of the common flexor tendon and ulnar collateral ligament
- Ulnar collateral ligament tear illustrations
- Anconeus epitrochlearis
- Medial elbow ligaments (Gray's illustration)
- Ulnar collateral ligament injury - elbow
- Partial tear anterior band ulnar / medial collateral ligament (elbow)
Related articles: Anatomy: Upper limb
-
skeleton of the upper limb
- clavicle
- scapula
- humerus
- radius
- ulna
- hand
- accessory ossicles of the upper limb
- accessory ossicles of the shoulder
- accessory ossicles of the elbow
-
accessory ossicles of the wrist (mnemonic)
- os centrale carpi
- os epilunate
- os epitriquetrum
- os styloideum
- os hamuli proprium
- lunula
- os triangulare
- trapezium secondarium
- os paratrapezium
- os radiostyloideum (persistent radial styloid)
- joints of the upper limb
-
pectoral girdle
-
shoulder joint
- articulations
- associated structures
- joint capsule
- bursae
- ligaments
- movements
- scapulothoracic joint
-
glenohumeral joint
- arm flexion
- arm extension
- arm abduction
- arm adduction
- arm internal rotation (medial rotation)
- arm external rotation (lateral rotation)
- circumduction
- arterial supply - scapular anastomosis
- ossification centers
-
shoulder joint
-
elbow joint
- proximal radioulnar joint
- ligaments
- associated structures
- movements
- alignment
- arterial supply - elbow anastomosis
- development
-
wrist joint
- articulations
-
ligaments
- intrinsic ligaments
- extrinsic ligaments
- radioscaphoid ligament
- dorsal intercarpal ligament
- dorsal radiotriquetral ligament
- dorsal radioulnar ligament
- volar radioulnar ligament
- radioscaphocapitate ligament
- long radiolunate ligament
- Vickers ligament
- short radiolunate ligament
- ulnolunate ligament
- ulnotriquetral ligament
- ulnocapitate ligament
- ulnar collateral ligament
- associated structures
- extensor retinaculum
- flexor retinaculum
- joint capsule
- movements
- alignment
- ossification centers
-
hand joints
- articulations
- carpometacarpal joint
-
metacarpophalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
-
interphalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
- movements
- ossification centers
- articulations
-
pectoral girdle
- spaces of the upper limb
- muscles of the upper limb
- shoulder girdle
- anterior compartment of the arm
- posterior compartment of the arm
-
anterior compartment of the forearm
- superficial
- intermediate
- deep
-
posterior compartment of the forearm (extensors)
- superficial
- deep
- muscles of the hand
-
accessory muscles
- elbow
- volar wrist midline
- palmaris longus profundus
- aberrant palmaris longus
- volar wrist radial-side
- accessory flexor digitorum superficialis indicis
- flexor indicis profundus
- flexor carpi radialis vel profundus
- accessory head of the flexor pollicis longus (Gantzer muscle, common)
- volar wrist ulnar-side
- dorsal wrist
- blood supply to the upper limb
-
arteries
- subclavian artery (mnemonic)
- axillary artery
- brachial artery (proximal portion)
- ulnar artery
- radial artery
- veins
-
arteries
- innervation of the upper limb
- intercostobrachial nerve
-
brachial plexus (mnemonic)
- branches from the roots
- branches from the trunks
- branches from the cords
- lateral cord
- posterior cord
- medial cord
- terminal branches
- lymphatic drainage of the upper limb
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