[Surgical treatment for distal humerus type C fractures]

Abstract

Distal humerus type C fracture is a rare and complicated intra-articular injury. Non-surgical treatment is difficult to achieve accurately reduction and reconstruction of articular surface, while open reduction and internal fixation is the best treatment option. Olecranon osteotomy could provide adequate surgical exposure, and is the most commonly used surgical method, but complications such as non-union osteotomy, internal fixation failure occurred. To avoid sacrificing integrity of olecranon, paratricipital approach, triceps reflecting approach, triceps reflectin ganconeus pedicle approach, triceps splitting and triceps tongue-shaped flap approach have been applied to fracture revealed. However, there is a certain contradiction of choice between surgical exposure and extension function of elbow due to limitations of different approaches. With the promotion of "double-column" theory, double plates has significant mechanical advantages over single plates. Even if parallel double-plate has more advantageous than vertical double-plate in vitro biomechanical experiments, it is not clear whether there is any difference between two methods in clinical application. Elbow arthroplasty may be the final choice for C-type fractures that could not be reconstructed on articular surface, but its long-term efficacy remains to be observed due to technical limitations.

Keywords: Arthroplasty, replacement, shoulder; Humeral fractures; Suragical procedures, operative.