It's pretty unique, so much so the orthopedic surgeon who repaired it used to take the files to seminars. It was one step away from amputation when it happened and it was caused by a disqualified driver and avoiding becoming a fatality (option one was get crunched & option two was take the best evasive action possible) still meant a short flight impersonating superman
(flight went well & landing wasn't so good).
When that plate broke and my body started to reject it (as they do with foreign objects in them) I had a few months of in another cast until my immune system had regained some form of normality I had another set of metalware fitted & a second bone graft & some re-sculpturing done then 2yrs later that lot was removed and K-wires fitted & a couple more screws, more re-sculpturing of the joint etc and eventually that lot was removed 18mths further down the track. At the time the only other options were a total replacement from a cadaver or an artificial one, both these options had limited appeal.....possible major rejection of the cadaver elbow and the artificial meant multiple replacements & eventually having to get the elbow fused in place.
25yrs later it is what it is
An elbow that articulates on fibrous tissue more than the joint itself & is technically still classed as broken, restricted ROM, a forearm that you could stick a knife in & I wouldn't feel it and the joint sounds like it's grinding concrete when I bend it and an impressive bag of surgical steel goodies
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