Results of early surgical treatment of intra-articular complex fractures of the humerus in adults.

ABSTRACT

AIM: We present our results for intra-articular fractures of the elbow which we have treated with early restoration of joint combined with the earliest possible motion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study group consists of 27 patients and all operations were done in Ankara Atatürk Research and Training Hospital 3rd Orthopaedic Clinic between February 2004 and December 2008. According to AO classification, all of the cases were of type C. Mean age of patients was 24.8 years (17-32), mean follow-up period was 30 (22-38) months. All patients underwent early open reducation, stable osteosynthesis and early rehabilitation. RESULTS: Clinical results were evaluated according to the Mayo Elbow Performance Scores which were excellent in 20 patients (74%), good in 4 (14.8%), fair in 2 (7.4%), and bad in 1 patient (3.7%). Postoperative complications including infection found in 2 patients (7.4%), minor joint deformity (varus, valgus) in 8 (29.6%), loss of power (about 1.5 kg) in 14 (51.8%), and medium level heterotypic ossification in 2 patients (7.4%). CONCLUSION: We believe that early (first 48 hours) surgical osteosynthesis with rigid fixation of intra-articular humerus fractures combined with postoperative early rehabilitation gives excellent results (Fig. 6, Tab. 3, Ref. 18).