Olecranon fracture (upper extremity)
A 43-year-old male sustained fell off of his bicycle after encountering uneven pavement. He sustained a closed elbow injury.
Radiographs revealed a complex displaced, left-sided olecranon fracture with multiple fragments. ORIF was performed with placement of a 2.7 mm plate dorsally and a 2.4 mm plate medially.
The patient returned at regular intervals and healed uneventfully. The implant was removed at 6 months following ORIF because of complaints of prominence.
At 11 months following ORIF, he presented with excellent clinical and radiographic results including maintenance of joint space, return to pre-injury activities, and elbow range of motion from 3-140° with full pronation and supination.
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Figure A
AP and lateral injury radiographs reveal a displaced left-sided olecranon fracture with multiple fragments, intraoperative fluoroscopic image demonstrating an acceptable reduction, AP and lateral radiographs at 6 months demonstrating a healed olecranon fracture with maintenance of reduction and fixation, and AP and lateral radiographs 6 weeks following removal of implant.
Tags: Broken Arm, Elbow Fracture