Varus posteromedial rotatory instability (VPMRI) of the elbow is one of the complex elbow instability. The primary sites of injury encompass fractures of the anteromedial coronoid process and injuries to the lateral collateral ligament of the elbow. Some patients may present with involvement of the medial collateral ligament of the elbow. Owing to its distinctive injury mechanism and imaging characteristics, this condition is infrequent in clinical practice and susceptible to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. Literature reviews indicate that conservative management of VPMRI is associated with numerous complications, such as persistent pain, traumatic arthritis, and chronic elbow instability. Consequently, surgical intervention has emerged as the recommended treatment modality. Nonetheless, the lack of systematic research on VPMRI in clinical practice has been inconclusive regarding the optimal internal fixation techniques and surgical approaches. Therefore, investigating the treatment modalities, surgical techniques, and internal fixation strategies for VPMRI associated with coronoid fractures holds substantial importance for informing clinical management. In this review, we systematically synthesize the existing literature on coronoid fractures with VPMRI for offering a valuable reference for future clinical treatment.
Keywords: complex elbow instability; coronoid fracture; elbow varus posteromedial rotatory instability; surgical treatment.
© 2025 The Author(s). Orthopaedic Surgery published by Tianjin Hospital and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.