Olecranon fractures treated with AO screw and tension bands

Twenty-eight patients averaging 36.4 years of age underwent open reduction and internal fixation of olecranon fractures. The AO cancellous screw was used alone in 16 and with tension banding in 12. Banding was used when the bone was soft or severely comminuted. The fractures were clinically healed at an average of nine weeks and roentgenographic healing with obliteration of the fracture line occurred at 13 weeks. Sixty-seven percent acquired full motion by the ninth postoperative week. All but two patients regained full supination and pronation. No patient lost greater than 30 degrees of extension and only two lost greater than 30 degrees of flexion. There were few operative difficulties or postoperative complications. We found the AO cancellous screw alone and in severely comminuted cases in combination with tension band wiring to be an excellent fixation device for olecranon fractures. It allows for early range of motion in young patients with excellent healing prospects by 16 weeks.