Extremely delicate to treated, fractures of the elbow are among those traumas presenting the greatest risk of complications, the most common and dreaded being a stiff elbow. Fractures of the elbow represent approximately 7% of all skeletal fractures in adults and, because it is so rare, only recently specific treatment options, such as anatomic prostheses and technologically advanced fixation devices (the commonly used are plates shaped on the anatomy of the elbow bones) have been developed.

This will be discussed Tuesday, September 15 at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute (Amphitheater, Research Center), during the meeting Rizzoli Advanced Elbow Course dedicated to elbow pathologies.

Leading European and International experts will discuss new methods and results obtained by the latest treatment options for fractures of the elbow, with the discussion of clinical cases presented by different orthopaedic Schools. Participants are offered the opportunity to take part in open discussions, attend key lectures by specialists from Italy, Europe and the US and observe a session of live surgery.

Organizer of the meeting is Dr. Roberto Rotini, Head of the Rizzoli Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Department  together with Prof. Shawn W. O'Driscoll from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, US, recognized internationally as a referral center for orthopedics.

Among the speakers, the Director of the Center for Shoulder and Elbow Surgery of Madrid, Prof. Samuel Antuna, an acknowledged European expert in this field.

"The Rizzoli Elbow Surgery Course was founded in 2007 and, since then, has been held for two years, each time with a focus on different elbow pathologies, with the aim of improving knowledge on the latest surgical techniques and with a discussion between the leading specialists in this field, especially on the more complicated cases. - explained Dr. Rotini - This edition will focus on fractures of the elbow, particularly delicate to treat because although the elbow has a single-joint space, it has three different joints that work synchronously, and because these fractures are often the consequences of ' High-energy' traumas. The Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute annually treats about 170 fractures of the elbow. To find the best option for a good functional recovery of the joint, patients must be evaluated with care, defining the most appropriate type of surgery and rehabilitation. This is why an open debate on the most complicated clinical cases is a precious moment for the specialists involved".