Bilateral Spontaneous Bony Ankylosis of the Elbow Following Burn: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

INTRODUCTION: Ankylosis of a joint could be intra-articular or extra-articular. Intra-articular ankylosis may be fibrous or bony. Soft tissue contracture and heterotopic ossification area common finding in patients with a deep burn around the joints. Intra-articular bony ankylosis after burn is uncommon, but a possible complication and we present a rare case with bilateral elbow involvement. CASE REPORT: A 35-year-old female presented to us with contracture of both the elbows. She had a history of severe accidental thermal burn involving mainly the front of both the upper limbs 6months back. She developed burn contracture of both elbows. X-rays of both elbows showed bony fusion. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous bony fusion occurs in various pathologies, some are well known, but some are rare and unusual. Development of soft tissue contracture in deep burn is quite typical, followed by extra-articular ankylosis, but true spontaneous bony fusion can also occur. The possibility of spontaneous bony fusion in deep burn injuries around the joint should be kept in mind by both plastic surgeons and orthopedic surgeons.