Open Access
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Revista Iberoamericana de Cirugía de la Mano 2020; 48(01): 002-009
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1708888
Original Articles | Artículos Originales
Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Distal Articular Fractures of the Humerus: Surgical Approach with Dynamic Elbow external Fixator

Article in several languages: English | español
1   Surgery Department, Orthopedic and Traumatology, Hand and Microsurgery Division, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil
,
Ricardo Kaempf de Oliveira
2   Orthopedic and Traumatology Department, Danta Casa de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
1   Surgery Department, Orthopedic and Traumatology, Hand and Microsurgery Division, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil
,
Gustavo Mantovani Ruggiero
3   Plastic Surgery Department, Universita Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
,
Fernando Luvizoto de Carvalho
1   Surgery Department, Orthopedic and Traumatology, Hand and Microsurgery Division, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil
,
Fabio Lucas Rodrigues
1   Surgery Department, Orthopedic and Traumatology, Hand and Microsurgery Division, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil
› Author Affiliations

Further Information

Publication History

17 September 2019

03 February 2020

Publication Date:
29 May 2020 (online)

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Abstract

Purpose To measure clinical and radiographic outcomes using external fixation in distal humeral fractures.

Methods A total of 10 elderly patients, with a mean age of 71 (range 64–84 years) years old, with unstable distal humeral fractures were treated by percutaneous reduction and fixation with an articulated external fixator. The patients were assessed on range of elbow motion, patient disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH), and pain visual analog scale (VAS) and radiographic evaluation at 12 months.

Results The mean range of motion was 134° of flexion, extension was of - 5°. All of the elbows were clinically stable. The mean VAS was 2.2, and the mean DASH score was 14.3. Radiographic analysis showed satisfactory reduction and consolidation. All of the patients showed congruence of concentric humerus-ulnar and radius and no patient had joint stiffness or posttraumatic arthritis of the elbow. Regarding complications, we observed a patient who presented with pain in the location of the ulnar pin, which was resolved with the removal of the pin. After two months, another patient had pneumonia and died. The follow-up was of 15.44 months.

Conclusions A radiographic analysis of the patients showed fracture healing with joint congruity. In the functional clinical aspect, it was noted that patients had functional range of motion

Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV

Ethical Approval

The research presented here was approved by and was in accordance with the ethical standards of the Faculdade de Medicina do ABC Ethics Committee on human experimentation under the CAAE number: 50927715.3.0000.5484.


Informed Consent

An informed consent document was provided to all research participants, who read and signed it according to their will.