Abstract :
We have conducted two latissimus dorsi transfers for elbow function reconstruction in paediatric patients at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. The first patient was a four-year-old girl with distal, asymmetric arthrogryposis, involving the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. The second patient was a five-year-old boy with paediatric brachial plexus injury, with C5 and C6 root avulsions with an inability to flex the elbow, as well as a glenohumeral contracture. He presented following a rotational humerus osteotomy. We performed a unipolar latissimus dorsi transfer in both patients with good results. We also performed a literature review to compare the available methods of elbow flexion reconstruction, especially in paediatric cases. We believe that the latissimus dorsi transfer is the preferred muscle transfer for reconstructing elbow function and the literature review supports this assertion.
Keyword :
Latissimus dorsi, Elbow, Nerve, Muscle, Elbow flexion