Presentation
Pain and functional limitation of the left elbow in a skier who reported a severe fall with elbow joint posterior dislocation (seven years ago) during a downhill ski race. An unavailable MRI scan performed after the trauma had shown a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament.
Patient Data
A large smooth margined soft tissue ossification exists near the lateral epicondyle of the elbow that extends to contact with the outer margin of the radial head. There are also two tiny calcified intra-articular loose bodies on the radial side of the joint.
Case Discussion
The role of the radial collateral ligament of the elbow is to provide stability against inner-to-outer stress on the elbow. Usually injury of the lateral collateral ligament complex of the elbow results from varus trauma with fractures or subluxations of the elbow joint. Periarticular calcifications are common after elbow trauma, particularly as a result of ligament injuries 1. The heterotopic ossifications indicate failed healing of a lateral collateral ligament complex avulsion 2.
Courtesy: TSRM Nunzio Bianco (imaging technologist)
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