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Research Article| Volume 22, ISSUE 2, P269-278, March 1997

The use of frozen-allograft radial head replacement for treatment of established symptomatic proximal translation of the radius: Preliminary experience in five cases

  • Author Footnotes
    1 From the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
    Robert M. Szabo
    Correspondence
    Reprint requests: Robert M. Szabo, MD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Davis, 2230 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95817.
    Footnotes
    1 From the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
    Affiliations
    Sacramento, CA, USA
    Search for articles by this author
  • Author Footnotes
    1 From the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
    Robert N. Hotchkiss
    Footnotes
    1 From the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
    Affiliations
    New York, NY, USA
    Search for articles by this author
  • Author Footnotes
    1 From the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
    Robert R. Slater Jr
    Footnotes
    1 From the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
    Affiliations
    Sacramento, CA, USA
    Search for articles by this author
  • Author Footnotes
    1 From the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
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      Five patients with disabling symptoms related to proximal translation (>1 cm) of the radius following radial head excision (Essex-Lopresti lesion) were treated with implantation of a frozen-allograft radial head prosthesis. Following restoration of neutral ulnar variance at the wrist, a size-matched frozen radial head allograft was implanted and secured to the proximal radius with internal fixation. In three patients, this was a two-stage procedure; radial length was restored gradually using an Ilizarov external fixation device and the allograft was placed later. Patients were evaluated clinically and radiographically at a mean follow-up time of 3 years (range, 1–7 years). All patients had relief of wrist and elbow pain and were satisfied with the outcome of the operation. Forearm rotation improved by a mean of 37° and wrist motion improved by a mean of 45°. Forearm reconstruction with frozen radial head allograft implantation may be a beneficial method of treatment for this difficult problem.
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