Use of a Modified Bell Tawse Procedure for Chronic Acquired Dislocation of the Radial Head

Abstract

We retrospectively reviewed five patients with chronic acquired dislocation of the radial head, treated with open reduction and ligament reconstruction with a slip of the triceps tendon. Three of the cases were posttraumatic, one was a dislocation resulting from a mass-occupying lesion, and one case was caused by recurrent radial head subluxation occurring after an initial traumatic episode. An ulnar osteotomy was used in one case to allow reduction of the radial head. All patients had a good postoperative functional and radiographic outcome, without postoperative complications. In two cases, there was slight loss of motion in relation to the contralateral extremity. Reconstruction of the annular ligament by using a strip of the triceps fascia is a safe and effective treatment in the treatment of chronic acquired radial head dislocation.