Olecranon fractures in 26 children with mean follow-up of 59 months.

Abstract

The authors report clinical and radiologic results of a series of 26 children who sustained an olecranon fracture, reviewed with a mean follow-up of 59 months. Mean age at time of trauma was 9 years. Direct trauma was the most common mechanism, and a radial head fracture was associated in one third of the cases. The fracture type usually consisted of a single fracture line, with a displacement >2 mm in one third of the cases. Treatment was usually conservative for nondisplaced or minimally displaced fractures, whereas open reduction with tension-wire pinning was proposed for displaced fractures. Clinical results were good, but radiologic results were less satisfying because of residual displacement on postoperative reviews. There was no functional impairment at final follow-up. Three patients from the surgically treated group with associated radial head fractures demonstrated a growth disturbance, possibly related to an ischemic cause.