At our hospital, closed dislocations of the elbow without neurovascular or osseous lesion are treated conservatively after successful reduction in the absence of a tendency to redislocation. Indications for surgery are irreducible dislocations and those with a tendency to redislocation as well as open soft tissue injuries, neurovascular and osseous concomitant injuries. During a period of 10 years 113 patients were treated according to this strategy. Of these patients, 46 had simple dislocations of the elbow and 67 suffered from dislocations with osseous lesions. In 95 patients follow-ups could be performed after a mean period of 55 months. In more than 75% of cases good or excellent functional results were documented; unfavourable results were seen only in patients with osseous lesions. Nearly all of the patients had a stable elbow joint at the end of therapy.