Use of a hinged external fixator for elbow instability after severe distal humeral fracture.

The authors report the case of a forty-year-old man who developed acute elbow instability after fixation of an open, comminuted distal humeral fracture. Treatment with a hinged, external elbow fixator was successful in reestablishing elbow stability and a functional range of elbow motion. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the use of this device for acute elbow instability after distal humeral fracture fixation has not been previously reported.