The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American). 2009;91:2416-2420.
doi:10.2106/JBJS.H.01419
© 2009 The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Letters to the Editor: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Letters to the Editor are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Rights and Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Buijze, G.
Right arrow Articles by Kloen, P.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Buijze, G.
Right arrow Articles by Kloen, P.
Related Collections
Right arrow Elbow
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Facebook   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

Clinical Evaluation of Locking Compression Plate Fixation for Comminuted Olecranon Fractures

Geert Buijze, MD1 and Peter Kloen, MD, PhD1

1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail address for G. Buijze: g.a.buijze{at}amc.uva.nl. E-mail address for P. Kloen: p.kloen{at}amc.uva.nl

Investigation performed at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Disclosure: In support of their research for or preparation of this work, one or more of the authors received, in any one year, outside funding or grants of less than $10,000 from Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Orthopaedische Chirurgie. Neither they nor a member of their immediate families received payments or other benefits or a commitment or agreement to provide such benefits from a commercial entity. No commercial entity paid or directed, or agreed to pay or direct, any benefits to any research fund, foundation, division, center, clinical practice, or other charitable or nonprofit organization with which the authors, or a member of their immediate families, are affiliated or associated.

Background: In patients managed with plate fixation for the treatment of an olecranon fracture, the placement of an axial intramedullary screw may obstruct the placement of bicortical screws in the ulnar shaft. To overcome this problem, unicortical screws can be applied with use of a contoured locking compression plate. The present study was designed to assess the effectiveness of this fixation method.

Methods: Nineteen consecutive patients with an acute comminuted olecranon fracture were managed with a contoured locking compression plate and intramedullary screw fixation. Sixteen patients were available for follow-up at a minimum of twelve months after fixation. Patient-based outcomes were assessed, and patient satisfaction and pain were evaluated.

Results: All nineteen fractures healed. The mean time to fracture union was four months. The mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score was 13. According to the Mayo Elbow Performance Index and the Broberg and Morrey grading system, fifteen of the sixteen patients with at least one year of follow-up had a good or excellent outcome. Nine patients underwent hardware removal at a mean of twelve months postoperatively. The mean elbow extension deficit in these patients improved significantly from 34° to 10° following hardware removal. The mean flexion improved from 118° to 138°, but this difference was not significant.

Conclusions: In the treatment of comminuted olecranon fractures, a contoured locking compression plate combined with an intramedullary screw provides sufficient stability for early postoperative functional rehabilitation, with an excellent fracture union rate and very good clinical outcomes.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?