Simultaneous Injury to the Humerus and Forearm on the Same Side of the Body or “The Floating Elbow” in Children and Adults

Introduction

An ipsilateral fracture of the humerus and forearm is an uncommon injury which has been previously described as “the floating elbow” [27]. Consequently, it is of great interest to establish the incidence of floating elbow injuries and evaluate the clinical findings and outcomes in our patients. Therefore, the object of this study is to evaluate the fracture patterns, associated soft-tissue injuries, concomitant vascular and nerve lesions, the chronological order of operative steps, the osteosynthesis techniques used, complications observed and the functional outcome.

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