Could Sea Wave-like Sign Be Used in the Diagnosis of Adult Simple Elbow Dislocations?

Purpose: The elbow is the second most dislocated major joint in adults. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of the use of ‘sea wave-like sign’ in adult simple elbow dislocation. Methods: The study included 12 randomly selected adults with simple elbow dislocation cases. All patients were evaluated with pre-reduction and post-reduction radiographs. The definitive diagnosis of reduction was made with post-reduction CT. Evaluations were performed by five orthopedic residents (Group I), five orthopedic specialists with less than 10 years of professional experience (Group II), and five orthopedic specialists with more than 10 years of professional experience (Group III). They were requested to fill out a questionnaire including the reduction and ‘sea wave-like sign’. Results: The specificity of the sea wave-like sign on radiography was 96.6% and the positive predictive value of this evaluation was 99.1%. There were statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of evaluation of the reduction of the elbow joint. The correct response rates in young specialists were significantly lower than the other two groups (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of evaluation of the presence of ‘sea wave-like sign’ (p=0.266). Conclusion: Sea wave-like sign could be used for adult simple elbow dislocation. The ‘sea wave-like sign’ could reduce the need for CT in a simple elbow dislocation.