Nerve injuries complicating Monteggia lesion

Ryu, Jae Duk; Han, Chang Hwan; Kim, Weon Yoo; Sung, Jin Hyung; Jung, Jin Ho; Kim, Jin Young

Abstract

PURPOSE: Concerns on the Monteggia lesion was concentrated on the injuries to the bone parts and largely ignores the soft tissues and the nerves in particular. We reviewed injured nerve, treatment and prognosis in the Monteggia lesion associated with nerve injury.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From January 1990 through November 1999, 26 patients with Monteggia lesions have been treated: six of these patients had associated with nerve injuries. The age of injured patients ranged from 9 to 67 years with an average of 25.5 years.
RESULTS
All could be classified as Type 1 of Bado(anterior dislocation of the radial head), and four injuries were open and two were closed. two patients had radial-nerve palsy and four patients had posterior interosseous-nerve palsy, one of them with associated ulnar-nerve palsy. The fifth patient demonstrated complete spontaneous recovery. One patient with posterior interosseous nerve injury was absence of spontaneous return of function within 12 weeks after injury, exploration and neurolysis was performed. Complete recovery of posterior interosseous nerve function occurred in 14 weeks after exploration.
CONCLUSION
Monteggia lesions can be reduced early with ease under general anesthesia and, if necessary, even under local anesthesia. Spontaneous recovery of nerve function may occur within 12 weeks; in the absence of electromyographic or clinical evidence of return of nerve function within 12 weeks, exploration and neurolysis is indicated.