Terrible triad of the elbow with an ipsilateral Essex-Lopresti injury: case report

Terrible triad of the elbow and the Essex-Lopresti injury are both rare lesions with a historically poor clinical outcome. We present the case of a unique association of the two injuries with an elbow dislocation, radial and coronoid process fractures and a distal radioulnar joint dislocation due to an interosseous membrane rupture. The case was managed with closed reduction of the elbow dislocation and distal radioulnar joint followed by open reduction and repair of the damaged structures in the elbow and an unloading of the interosseous membrane. A high index of suspicion with a detailed examination of the elbow, forearm and wrist associated to a comprehensive imaging were mandatory for a complete diagnosis and an adequate treatment. Six months after the accident, the patient made a good recovery.