Introduction: Pseudoarthrosis is one of the most dreadful complications of olecranon fractures. It seriously compromises the function of the elbow. Objectives : To determine the epidemiological factors of this complication in order to prevent them and to assess the results of the therapeutic management. Material and method: This was a retrospective study that involved patients with olecranon pseudoarthrosis who were treated in the department between January 2006 and December 2016. The diagnosis of pseudoarthrosis was made at least 6 months after the management of the fracture. There were 16 men and 5 women. We analyzed the epidemiological factors, the treatment of pseudoarthrosis, and the postoperative outcome. Results: The incriminated factors were the complexity of the fracture line and the quality of treatment of the recent fracture. The osteosynthesis of pseudoarthrosis is similar to that of recent fractures. It requires in some cases a bone graft. The results of the treatment are satisfactory with 100% of consolidation, and a good functional result in 75% of the cases. Conclusion: The treatment of olecranon pseudoarthrosis is based above all on prevention by an optimal management of the recent fractures. The curative treatment gives satisfactory functional results.
Olecranon fractures are common due to its superficial anatomical location [
This was a continuous retrospective study on the basis of 21 records at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at Treichville University Hospital from January 2006 to December 2016. We included all patients who had aseptic pseudoarthrosis of olecranon treated in the department and with a postoperative follow-up of 6 months or more. Three cases of septic pseudoarthrosis of the olecranon were excluded. The treatment of pseudoarthrosis consisted of a posterior approach to the site, a resection of intra-articular fibrosis, the assessment of the degree of osteoporosis, the articular mobilization. A cortical spongy graft was sometimes necessary. The restraint was ensured by a synthetic material.
The epidemiological analysis of our results was based on the type of fracture according to the Mayo Clinic classification (
Pain Intensity (45 points) | None Mild Moderate Severe | 45 pts 30 pts 15 pts 0 point |
---|---|---|
Motion (20 points): Arc of motion | Arc of motion greater than 100˚ Arc between 50˚ to 100˚ Arc less than 50˚ | 20 pts 15 pts 5 points |
Stability (10 points) | Stable Moderate stability Grossly unstable | 10 pts 5 pts 0 points |
Function (tick as many as able) (25 pts) | Can comb hair Can eat Can perform hygiene Can don shirt Can don shoe | 5 pts 5 pts 5 pts 5 pts 5 points |
Total Score | Excellent Good Fair Poor | 90 - 100 pts 75 - 89 pts 60 - 74 pts 0 - 59 pts |
ciated lesions, the type of treatment of the recent fracture and its postoperative follow-up.
The analysis of the treatment of pseudoarthrosis concerned the nature of the osteosynthesis, the different operative times with or without a cortical spongy graft and the postoperative outcome. The evaluation of our results was assessed according to the Mayo Clinic Elbow criteria (
- Patients: There were 16 men and 5 women with an average age of 32 years with extremes of 17 years and 58 years. The dominant limb was concerned in 18 cases; it was the right limb. Road accidents were responsible in 15 cases followed by sports accidents (3 cases), domestic accidents (2 cases) and 1 assault by firearm.
- Types of initial lesions: Out of the 21 patients, 3 had a treatment called “traditional” performed by traditional therapists. For these patients we did not have an initial X-ray. The Mayo clinic classification gave 2 (9.52%) fractures of type I (
- Associated lesions: this pseudoarthrosis was associated with a homolateral fracture of the forearm in 3 cases, dislocation of the elbow with fracture of the humerus (1 case) and fracture of the femur (1 case).
- Initial treatment
The treatment called “traditional” was performed in 3 patients. This unconventional treatment consisted of an improvised immobilization that did not respect any principle of immobilization.
- A brachio ante brachiopalmar plaster immobilization was performed in 2 patients who had an undisplaced type I fracture. The removal of the plaster on day 35 for the beginning of the rehabilitation led to diastasis and then to pseudoarthrosis of the site of the fracture.
- Bracing had been performed in 15 cases. 10 fractures were type II of the Mayo Clinic classification and had been treated by the bracing technique. 3 of these osteosyntheses let persist an inter-segment deviation. 5 fractures were type III and had also been treated by the bracing technique.
- 1 centromedullary screwing was performed on a type I fracture.
The postoperative period was marked by 5 cases of pin migration, 2 cases of superficial sepsis which had dried up after local care.
Rehabilitation after intervention began on average at 3 weeks. Migrations were observed in 3 complex fractures type III whose rehabilitation had started earlier (before 3 weeks).
Pseudoarthrosis had been developing for 6 months minimum and 15 months maximum with an average of 7 months. Patients in our series had consulted for elbow pain in 15 cases (66.6%), relative functional impotence all 21 patients (100%) and elbow deformity in 10 cases (47.6%). The elbow was limited in all cases; there was no case of ankylosis of the elbow. Passive and active mobility averaged 0/10/90˚; pronation and supination were complete and painless in 18 patients; limited in 3 patients.
After the approach of the site of pseudoarthrosis, resection of intra-articular fibrosis and avivement of bone surfaces, a cortical spongy graft was intercalated in 7 patients who had multi-fragmental lesions or a fairly significant osteoporosis. This graft intercalated in the inter-fragmentary space, spread out the articular cartilage of the olecranon without surpassing it. Stabilization was ensured by bracing in 16 cases, by a hooked plate in 5 cases.
Average age (year) | Sex | Causes | Side | Mayo classif of the initial frac | Type of frac | Initial treatment | Surgical treatment of pseudarthrosis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
32 | M = 16 | Road accident = 15 | Left = 03 | Type I = 02 | Open = 07 | Orthopaedic = 02 | bracing = 16 |
F = 05 | Sport-accident = 03 | Right 18 | Type II = 12 | Closed = 14 | Surgery = 16 | Screw Plate = 05 | |
domestic accid = 02 | Type III = 04 | No treatment = 03 | |||||
Ballistic accident = 01 | Inconnu = 03 | ||||||
Total | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Treatment progress was assessed with an average follow-up of 6 months. All 21 patients were taken into account. We have observed:
- A hematoma in 2 patients. They were linked to an inadequate drainage. Local care with daily dressings allowed healing within 21 days.
- 1 case of migration - expulsion of the pins at the beginning of rehabilitation. This was postponed. The follow-up was uneventful.
We did not observe nervous and vascular complications.
- Amyotrophy of the arm was observed in all patients. It had no functional impact.
- A limitation of the elbow in all patients (assessed) but improved in all cases compared to the preoperative state.
- Consolidation was achieved in all patients. The average time was 3.5 months with extremes of 3 months and 6 months.
The outcome was found satisfactory in 75% of the cases according to the criteria retained (
Pseudarthroses are severe late complications of olecranon fractures. Epidemio-
Score | Points | Number | % |
---|---|---|---|
Excellent | 90 - 100 | 15 | 71.42 |
Good | 75 - 89 | 04 | 19.05 |
Fair | 60 - 74 | 02 | 9.53 |
Poor | 0 - 59 | 00 | 00 |
Total | 100 | 21 | 100 |
logically, they occur at any age with a predilection in young adults. Males are the most exposed [
The quality of treatment of recent fractures is therefore the basis of the prevention of olecranon pseudoarthrosis whose treatment is osteosynthesis. This osteosynthesis must be stable from the start and this stability must allow an early and prolonged rehabilitation on an elbow already limited. The different techniques used for the treatment of pseudoarthroses are the same as those of recent fractures; by adding, depending on the case, a cortical spongy graft. In our series we used 16 times the bracing technique and 5 times the screwed plate in 7 cases with autologous bone graft. This bracing technique was used by Tiemdjo et al. [
The results of treatment of pseudoarthroses by the technique of bracing and screwed plate with or without bone graft were satisfactory in our series. Consolidation was achieved in all patients and the functional outcome satisfactory. These different results are also found in the different series of the literature [
Pseudoarthrosis is the most common and most feared complication of olecranon fractures. The complexity of the site and the imperfection of the initial treatment are the main causes. The management by the bracing technique or the screwed plate technique associated or not with a bone graft gives satisfactory results. Prevention remains the best treatment by a rigorous indication of the treatment of these fractures.
This study is limited by its retrospective nature, the small sample size and the impossibility of achieving other.
A case-control study on a larger sample will be necessary for future study.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
This study was approved by the local ethics committee and all the authors contributed to the writing of this article.
Gogoua, R.D., Traoré, M., Yao, B., Yépié, A., Kouamé, M. and Anoumou, M. (2017) Aseptic Pseudoarthrosis of Olecranon: Epidemiological Features and Therapeutic Assessment. Open Journal of Orthopedics, 7, 117-125. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojo.2017.74014