Presentation
Fall onto left elbow.
Patient Data
Supracondylar humerus fracture with associated hemarthrosis.
Radiographs 8 months later reveal healing of the supracondylar fracture but development of new lucency and collapse at the metaphysis adjacent to where the trochlear ossification center is due to develop. This post-traumatic phenomenon is known as a fishtail deformity.
Lucency and collapse at the metaphysis on the trochlear side of the distal humerus (green arrow) creating a fishtail indentation.
Case Discussion
Fishtail deformity of the elbow is characterized by a contour abnormality of the distal humerus, which develops when the lateral trochlear ossification center fails to develop or resorbs. It is an uncommon complication usually following a distal humeral fracture in childhood.
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