United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My daughter is 11yrs old she has a totally dislocated elbow and the Dr wants to do a forearm osteotomy. Does this make since? I'm really confused.

Frankies elbow is permanently dislocated they said there was nothing to do for it that surgery would put it back in but it wouldn't stay saw 3 bpi docs none said anything about osteotomy to correct elbow not sure what the purpose would be for that. Dr Nath said frankie should have it done because his palm faces up and this would give him a more natural look but Dr Kozin said he would loose what little function he had. Frankie said he doesn't care what it looks like as long as he can use it a little. So we left it alone. Mare

Did he say what the ostomy would accomplish?

Dr said it wouldn't give her any more motion it would just put it in a more neutral position. Her palm does face down as it is, I think it looks as normal as possible now, but she of course can't supinate. I'm just wondering if she has the surgery will she lose what pronation she does have.

Most likely she would lose what pronation she has...I would think, but I would ask the doctor that and see what he says...if she doesn't stand to gain a lot of function from it, does it seem worth it? I think that is the question I would ask myself. But again I would discuss these concerns with the doctor so that you can make an educated decision. Hope this helps!

Diana

My son was pronated and had the FOREARM osteotomy. It didn't really help cosmetically and definately not functionally. He ended up having TT and the arm definately looks better.

One question we posed before osteotomy is that would he be supinated and thus lose the ability to use the affected hand to type? In this computer world that we live in, pronation was actually to his advantage. I understand that the elbow is different than the forearm, but Dr Kozin posed that question to us, he said that he would be more functional pronated and didn't recommend the osteotomy. We had it done anyway, but it didn't help. Not much closer to neutral and definately no supination.

Good luck with your decision. They are all tough where our kiddos are concerned...

sorry, it is late and my brain isn't working...I didn't mean to say the elbow is different than the forearm, of course it is!! duh on me:)

My son had dislocated elbow as well and the doctors also said that there was nothing they could do for it.