Published on: 2026-08-21
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
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Doctors of the V.M. Buyanov City Clinical Hospital (GKB) saved a 63-year-old resident of the Donetsk People’s Republic by performing a complex reconstruction of the elbow joint. She was admitted to the capital’s hospital three months after a severe injury caused by a fall and several surgeries. Thanks to a multi-stage high-tech intervention, Moscow specialists restored mobility and functionality of the upper limb.
“Moscow hospitals have extensive capabilities to provide medical care to patients even in the most complex clinical situations, where unconventional surgical solutions are required. Our specialists assist not only the residents of the capital but also patients from various regions of the country. For each case, they choose a treatment strategy that allows for maximum preservation of healthy tissues and structures. For example, surgeons at the V.M. Buyanov hospital restored mobility to the arm of a 63-year-old patient. She was admitted with an extremely rare combination of severe conditions: she could not move her arm freely, experienced increasing pain, and had almost lost sensation in her forearm and hand area. To restore the arm’s function and avoid complete elbow joint endoprosthetics, surgeons performed a complex reconstructive intervention. As a result, they managed to preserve the woman’s own joint and return to her the lost quality of life,” — she said
Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development.
Rare injury
Due to an unfortunate fall, the patient sustained a severe fracture-dislocation in the elbow joint. The consequences of the fracture were addressed, but it was not possible to restore the ligaments and other soft tissues that provide joint stability. It remained unstable, and the fingers practically stopped moving. The woman was troubled by increasing pain and sensory impairment. Specialists at the city hospital identified a rare combination of several serious complications: a chronic old dislocation and instability of the elbow joint, pronounced scar tissue changes, and compression of three major nerves at once.
Such cases are extremely rare and are considered among the most complex in traumatology and orthopedics. According to data, old dislocations in the elbow joint occur in only 5.2–6.1 individuals per 100,000 population, and recurrent dislocations develop in no more than two percent of cases. Without timely treatment, the woman could have completely lost the ability to use her hand. Moreover, later on, the only option might have been a complete elbow joint endoprosthesis. However, thanks to the high qualifications of Moscow specialists and the use of modern reconstructive methods, it was possible to preserve the native joint and avoid such radical surgery.
Comprehensive tactics
The joint has a complex structure, so it is not enough to restore only the integrity of the bone. It is also important to restore the strength of the ligaments that hold it in the correct position. Specialists at the V.M. Buyanov City Clinical Hospital chose a comprehensive approach. The surgery, which lasted slightly over two hours, was performed by a team of three trauma orthopedic surgeons, one of whom is skilled in neurosurgical techniques. First, they removed scar tissue, restored the ligaments using the patient’s own tendon from her leg, secured it with a biodegradable fastener, installed a modern endoprosthesis of the radial head, and relieved compression of three nerves. This made it possible to restore the stability of the elbow joint, stop the progressive nerve damage, and preserve full hand function.
Shortly after the surgery, the doctors conducted follow-up examinations and confirmed that the joint was properly positioned, the endoprosthesis was securely fixed, and the joint was stable. The patient’s constant pain disappeared, mobility of the hand, as well as the wrist and shoulder joints, was restored. Today, the woman has been discharged home and is undergoing a course of medical rehabilitation.
Every year, specialists at the V.M. Buyanov City Clinical Hospital perform about four thousand surgeries in the field of traumatology and orthopedics, of which up to three to five are similar reconstructive surgeries. Each of these requires an individual approach, involvement of a multidisciplinary team, and the application of modern high-tech methods.
The development of medical care is one of the key directions of the national project “A long and active life”. In Moscow, a network of modern multidisciplinary hospitals equipped with high-tech equipment is consistently being developed, advanced methods of diagnostics and treatment are being implemented, and the capabilities of reconstructive surgery are being expanded. This allows performing the most complex operations and providing medical care not only to patients from the capital but also to residents of other regions of Russia. More details about Russia’s national projects and the capital’s contribution can be found at special page.
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