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©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Orthop. Jul 18, 2014; 5(3): 368-372
Published online Jul 18, 2014. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v5.i3.368
Published online Jul 18, 2014. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v5.i3.368
Primary total elbow arthroplasty in complex fractures of the distal humerus
Brian Weng Sørensen, Stig Brorson, Bo Sanderhoff Olsen, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Herlev University Hospital, 2730 Herlev, Denmark
Author contributions: Sørensen BW, Brorson S and Olsen BS had all made substantial contributions to conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting and revising the article, and final approval of the version to be published.
Correspondence to: Brian Weng Sørensen, MD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Herlev University Hospital, Herlev Ringvej 75, 2730 Herlev, Denmark. brian.weng@regionh.dk
Telephone: +45-50-596069 Fax: +45-48-293619
Received: December 16, 2013
Revised: April 7, 2014
Accepted: April 16, 2014
Published online: July 18, 2014
Processing time: 215 Days and 20.3 Hours
Revised: April 7, 2014
Accepted: April 16, 2014
Published online: July 18, 2014
Processing time: 215 Days and 20.3 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: The number of distal humerus fractures in the elderly has increased in the last decades. The results after open reduction internal fixation in elderly with complex fractures of the distal humerus are highly variable with many failures and often poor outcome. We retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of patients treated with total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) for complex fractures of the distal humerus. Our aim was to report short- to medium-term outcome. According to the Mayo Elbow Performance Score there were 15 patients with excellent results, 4 good, 1 fair and none poor. Our study suggests that TEA on fractures of the distal humerus in elderly patients can result in acceptable short- to medium-term outcome.