Loose bodies from the elbow
Object numberGC.8251
TitleLoose bodies from the elbow
DescriptionElbow joint, Loose bodies from a right.
From a soldier aged 22 who had been in hospital with an injury to his right elbow when he was 12 years of age. Six months ago his elbow temporarily troubled him but he did not report sick. Four days ago while cleaning a window it suddenly became useless. On examination flexion and extension were limited and a nodular mass could be felt in the cubital fossa and could be moved horizontally slipping over the anterior surface of the humerus. A radiogram (2.(7).E.) showed other loose bodies present in the joint. On operation the loose bodies were “adherent to each other and to the surrounding tissues”.
The large loose body is hemispherical. It measures 25 mm. in its longest diameter and 20 mm. in height and breadth. It is light and composed of cancellous bone and is probably of the nature of a traumatic osteoma. Its deep surface is smooth glistening and cartilaginous and probably was applied against the humeral surface. The four smaller bodies are fibrocartilaginous and irregular and each presents a surface which has been apparently attached to the bone and broken off at operation. These four loose bodies are of the nature of chondro-osteophytes the result of chronic arthritis.
Production date 1930 - 1930
Production periodTwentieth century
Object nameJOINT, elbow
Object categoryAnatomical, specimen