Elbow dislocation with arterial injury.

Elbow dislocations are most often the result of a hyperextension mechanism with the forearm levered and displaced posterior to the humerus. Recurrent instability and arterial disruption are uncommon sequelae of this injury. Any asymmetry in distal pulses after joint reduction demands a study of arterial anatomy (arteriogram or duplex scan) to rule out avulsion or intimal damage.