Patient presents with right elbow pain after a fall. What's the diagnosis and what other injury should you look for?
Answer
Displaced fracture of the proximal ulna.
Pearls
Always look for injury at the radial head when the proximal ulna is fractured, specifically looking for a radial head dislocation; this pattern is known as a Monteggia fracture.
Remember the mnemonic MUGR (MU-GR)
Monteggia fracture-dislocation = Ulnar fracture with a proximal radial dislocation
Galeazzi fracture-dislocation = Radial fracture with a distal radioulnar dislocation
