Indications, alternatives, and complications of external fixation about the elbow.

External fixation around the elbow is a concept as complex as the pathology that it treats. A myriad of potential pitfalls await the surgeon who casually applies a frame to any extremity, let alone a portion of one as complicated as the elbow. A careful understanding of the anatomy, specific technique, applications of the various devices commercially available, and rational alternatives to each problem is crucial for the judicial use of external fixation around the elbow. The potential benefits of the external fixator, however, are worthy of the surgeon's time to understand and pass on to his or her next patient.