Wilson ES, Buckwalter JA, Henning G, Davison J, Fleury IG, Willey MC. Inclusion of Olecranon Osteotomy With the Posterior Approach for Fixation of Distal Humerus Fractures (OTA/AO 13) Does Not Increase Surgical Complications.
J Orthop Trauma 2021;
35:e223-e227. [PMID:
33208714 DOI:
10.1097/bot.0000000000002006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To determine if inclusion of an olecranon osteotomy to the posterior paratricipital approach for operative fixation of distal humerus fractures significantly affects surgical complication rates (OTA/AO 13).
DESIGN
Retrospective comparative cohort study.
SETTING
Level 1 trauma center.
PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS
Three hundred four patients underwent open reduction internal fixation of a distal humerus fracture between 2007 and 2017. Of those, 134 met inclusion criteria (≥15 years, OTA/AO fracture type 13A, B, or C, and posterior surgical approach) for the study (n = 64 with olecranon osteotomy; n = 70 without olecranon osteotomy).
INTERVENTION
Open reduction internal fixation of distal humerus fractures performed using a posterior paratricipital approach with or without olecranon osteotomy.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Ulnar neuropathy (UN), fracture site bony nonunion, and surgical site infection (SSI).
RESULTS
Thirty-one (33.3%) who underwent the paratricipital approach without olecranon osteotomy, and 15 patients (26.8%) who underwent olecranon osteotomy reported postoperative UN with no significant difference between approaches (P = 0.438). There was no significant difference in rates of SSI (P = 0.418) or fracture site nonunion (P = 0.263) when comparing the approaches. Subjects with Charlson comorbidity index ≥2 were more likely to not undergo an olecranon osteotomy (P = 0.01), whereas subjects with more complex fractures by OTA/AO classification were more likely to have an olecranon osteotomy approach (P = 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Addition of an olecranon osteotomy with the paratricipital approach for fixation of distal humerus fractures does not result in higher rates of UN, fracture site nonunion, or SSI.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
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