Isolated Trochlear Fracture in an Elderly Lady : A Rare and Interesting Case Treated in a Rural Coal Mines Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Isolated trochlear fractures are very rarely reported in the orthopedic literature; moreover, most of the cases reported are of patients in the younger age group. Due to its anatomical position, trochlear fractures are usually associated with other bony injuries around the distal humerus and with elbow dislocation, and so, its extremely rare to find an isolated trochlear fracture reported in postmenopausal lady with osteoporotic bone.

CASE REPORT: Here, we report a postmenopausal elderly lady suffering from isolated trochlear fracture of humerus trochlea. She was having pain and discomfort around her right elbow with restricted motion in elbow following a blunt trauma. After necessary investigation, we treated the patient with open reduction through posterior approach to elbow with olecranon osteotomy and fixed the fracture under direct vision with headless titanium screws. Post-operative physiotherapy was initiated after 2 weeks as pain subsided.

CONCLUSION: Isolated trochlear fractures are rare clinical entity specially in postmenopausal women and it should be properly managed for a good clinical and functional outcome.