Absorbable rods and screws: a new method of fixation for fractures of the olecranon
Summary. Between April 1986 and July 1990fractures of the olecranon in 41 adult patients were treated by fixation with absorbable rods (20 patients) and screws (21 patients) of self-reinforced polyglycolide (SR-PGA), 3.2 mm in diameter and 2 0 -70 mm in length. Patients were followed up for a mea~ time of 2 years 7 months (range 1 year to 4 years 6 months). After reduction of the fracture, channels were drilled from the proximal fragment through the cortex of the distal fragment and the fractures were fixed with absorbable rods or screws. By one year from follow-up maintenance of an anatomical reduction of the fracture was seen in 34 patients. Failure of fixation requiring a second operation occured in 2 cases. In all cases functional recovery was at least satisfactory. Sinus formation as a sign of transient tissue reaction was observed in 3 cases, but did not influence the healing of the fractures or the functional recovery. The results in patients treated with rods or screws was similar. Absorbable screws combined with small rods and absorbable sutures allow treatment of +ore severe fractures of the olecranon than do rods alone.
R~sumC Quarante et un malades prdsentant une fracture de l'oldcr~ne ont dtd trait6s au moyen de broches et vis biordsorbables. Onze fractures 6taient comminutives. Les broches ont 6td utilis6es chez 20 malades (groupe 1) et les vis chez 21 malades (groupe 2). Les rdsultats radiologiques ont dt6 bons dans 34 cas (83%), moyens dans 5 cas (Idger dd-
Reprint requests to: E. K. Partio placement de la fracture ou ldgOre incongruence articulaire), et mauvais dans 2 cas ndcessitant une r6-intervention (ostdosynthOse d6faillante dans un cas et fragment ddplacd dans un autre cas). II y a eu 4 retards de consolidation. A un an, les rdsultats fonctionnels ont dtd au moins satisfaisants dans 39 cas (95%), I1 n'y a pas eu de diffdrence significative dans les rdsultats entre les deux groupes. Cette 6tude montre que les broches et les vis biordsorbables sont un matdriau fiable dans la fixation des fractures de l'oldcrgme. Leur avantage par rapport aux matdriaux mdtalliques conventionnels est qu 'ils 6vitent la r6intervention pour retirer le matdriel d'ost~osynthose.