PMC5733764_01
Plain films of the left elbow immediately after injury in the emergency department (a), intraoperative fluoroscopic film showing reduction and pin placement (b), and follow-up plain film imaging at 12 weeks after surgery (c).
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She was neurovascularly intact, and radiographic evaluation demonstrated a left Type III SCHFX (Figure 1(a)). A sterile felt was placed to protect the exposed pins from edema, and the pins were then covered in sterile cotton cast padding (Figure 1(b)). The patient returned to the clinic two weeks later with a large elbow effusion, bloody purulent fluid draining from a sinus tract, and radiographs with the radiocapitellar joint dislocated posterolaterally and periosteal and cortical reactions (Figure 1(c)).
IR sagittal MRI of the left elbow showing a large loculated joint effusion with tracking up the posterior aspect of the humerus (a). T2 fat-suppressed axial MRI of the left distal humerus showing joint effusion (b).
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The MRI showed a subperiosteal abscess, osteomyelitis, and a large elbow joint effusion (Figure 2).