An unusual complication of radial head fractures.

Radial head fractures are a fairly common injury secondary to falls on the outstretched forearm. Specific combinations of injuries involving radial head fractures and triceps tendon avulsion have been reported. Compartment syndromes secondary to distal forearm fractures are common; however fracture of the radial head rarely results in an acute compartment syndrome.

Cervical injury in head trauma.

Criteria for excluding cervical spine injury in patients who have sustained blunt head or neck trauma were prospectively studied at four hospitals in the Chicago area. The authors attempted to define a subset of these adult patients who, based on clinical criteria, could reliably be excluded from cervical spine radiography, thus avoiding unnecessary radiation and saving considerable time and money in their evaluation. Patients fell into four groups: (1) patients who were awake, alert, and had no complaint of neck pain or tenderness on physical examination; (2) patients who were awake, alert, but had complaint of neck pain or tenderness on physical examination laterally over the trapezius muscle only; (3) patients who were awake, alert, but had complaint of central neck pain or tenderness on physical examination over the cervical spine or center of the neck; and (4) patients who were not fully awake or alert, were clinically intoxicated, had other painful or distracting injuries, or had focal neurologic findings.