Neglected Monteggia Fracture Dislocations in Children: A Case Series

Introduction: Monteggia fracture dislocations are a relatively rare entity and they represent less than 2% of forearm fractures, the diagnosis can be missed in up to 50% of the time. The gold standard of treatment in adults has been open reduction and internal fixation, and closed reduction and cast immobilization in pediatrics.

Case Report: We present three cases series of neglected Monteggia fractures in a 5-, 4-, and 9-year-old patients. The patients presented 10, 20, and 25 days post-injury, respectively. Each case was treated differently with the last case requiring open reduction and annular ligament reconstruction. All the three cases showed excellent results on follow-up.

Conclusion: To avoid missing these injuries, each patient should undergo a comprehensive clinical approach and adequate radiological imaging. Various treatment methods exist for neglected Monteggia fracture and each option should be exhausted to salvage the radial head starting with the less invasive approaches.