Olecranon Osteotomy Implant Removal Rates and Associated Complications

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Trauma Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Olecranon osteotomy is a common procedure for distal humerus fractures.
• Implant removal after olecranon osteotomy can be associated with complications and patient dissatisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the implant removal rates for olecranon osteotomies.
• To compare removal rates across different fixation methods.
• To identify factors influencing implant removal.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter case series involving 92 patients who underwent olecranon osteotomy.
• Data collected from electronic medical databases across Level 1 and Level 2 trauma centers.
• Analysis of implant removal rates based on fixation type: tension band wiring (TBW), plates, cable-pin, and screw fixation.

Main Results:

• 37% (34/92) of patients required implant removal.
• Tension band wiring (TBW) had the highest removal rate (44.4%, 28/63), significantly higher than screw fixation (0/10).
• Screw fixation was removed less frequently than all other fixation types (P=0.01).

Conclusions:

• Olecranon implant removal is common, with 37% of patients requiring revision.
• Screw fixation demonstrates a significantly lower rate of removal compared to tension band wiring (TBW).
• These findings suggest screw fixation may offer advantages in reducing the need for subsequent implant removal.