[Olecranon osteotomy]

In recent years the increase of interest for surgery of the elbow has fostered the development of new and modified triceps sparing approaches. Olecranon osteotomy is a widely accepted method especially for open reduction and internal fixation of displaced intra-articular fractures because it provides excellent exposure of the joint surfaces. Due to several reports describing numerous complications, the enthusiasm for this procedure is currently limited. Several intra-articular and extra-articular techniques for refixation of the olecranon have been developed to limit these complications and good results have been obtained. This paper describes various techniques, analyzes advantages and disadvantages and shows alternative ways and solutions for different indications.