Radio-ulnar synostosis is a rare complication which develops following forearm trauma, the main manifestation being stiffness and leading to the loss of pronation and supination. For the patient, it is a very frustrating experience due to the impairment of the normal function of the forearm, whereas for the surgeon the treatment is difficult as, unfortunately, there is no consensus regarding the best way to approach it. Many surgical techniques and other kinds of adjuvant therapies have been developed in an effort to solve this disability. This paper presents an overview of the principal factors which contribute to the development of synostosis and the best therapeutic approach methods found in the literature.
Keywords: AINS; radio-ulnar synostosis; radiotherapy; recurrence; resection; stiffness; surgery.