J Bone Joint Surg Br
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We used ultrasonography in ten children with pulled elbow to compare measurements of the radiocapitellar distance (RCD) on the affected and the unaffected sides. Similar measurements were made in a group of ten age-matched normal children. ⋯ In the normal children the mean RCD in pronation was 4.5 mm +/- 0.5. We conclude that ultrasonography is of value for documenting pulled elbow in children.
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We made a prospective study of the incidence and natural history of algodystrophy and associated changes in bone mineral density in the ankles and feet of 60 consecutive patients who had suffered unilateral fractures of the tibial shaft. At bone union, 18 patients showed signs of algodystrophy. ⋯ Patients with algodystrophy lost significantly more bone mineral than did those without but the degree of this loss was independent of the type of treatment and of the time to fracture union. In most cases the symptoms resolved within six months of fracture union but in four patients they were still present at one year and two of these had not returned to work.