Arthroscopic Reduction and Fixation of Coronoid Fractures with Bending K-Wire: A New Technique

Chang Hyun Choi; Hyun-Gyu Seok; Sam-Guk Park

doi:10.3390/jcm11174964

Arthroscopic Reduction and Fixation of Coronoid Fractures with Bending K-Wire: A New Technique

J Clin Med. 2022 Aug 24;11(17):4964. doi: 10.3390/jcm11174964.

Authors

Chang Hyun Choi¹, Hyun-Gyu Seok¹, Sam-Guk Park¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Orthopedics, Yeungnam University Medical Center, Daegu 42415, Korea.

Abstract

The ulnar coronoid process plays a key role in maintaining elbow stability; however, there is no gold standard treatment for ulnar coronoid process fractures. We present a novel surgical technique, arthroscopic reduction and bent K-wire fixation, for type II and III coronoid process fractures according to the O'Driscoll classification. Five patients were treated and retrospectively reviewed between January 2016 and December 2019. All the surgeries were performed by a single surgeon. We evaluated clinical outcomes by evaluating a range of motion, disability of arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) score, Mayo Elbow Performance score (MEPS), and radiographic images. Intraoperative and postoperative radiographs showed that the fractures healed well and were satisfactorily fixed. The average elbow extension/flexion was -3/130, with an average DASH score of 2.42 and MEPS of 97. Coronoid process fractures can be treated successfully with arthroscopic reduction and fixation of bent K-wire, which allows more rigid fixation and early functional exercise, resulting in good outcomes without special tools.

Keywords: K-wire; coronoid process; elbow arthroscopy; fracture.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the 2018 Yeungnam University Research Grant. Funding number: 218A580077. The authors, their immediate families, and any research foundations with which they are affiliated have not received any financial payments or other benefits from any commercial entity related to the subject of this article.