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Open reduction and internal fixation of the distal humerus: functional outcome in the elderly
T R Pereles1, K J Koval, M Gallagher
1Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute, New York, New York 10003, USA.
Objective:
To examine the functional outcome of a cohort of elderly patients after open reduction and internal plate and screw fixation of distal humerus fractures.
Design:
Retrospective review of a consecutive series of patients older than 60 years of age who underwent plate and screw fixation of a distal humerus fracture.
Materials And Methods:
Eighteen patients, aged 63 to 85 years (average, 71 years), underwent open reduction and internal fixation of a displaced distal humerus fracture using plates and screws. Three were Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Association for the Study of Internal Fixation (AO/ASIF) type A, 2 were type B, and 13 were type C fractures. The patients were reviewed at a minimum follow-up of 1 year after surgery.
Measurements And Main Results:
All patients had a good or excellent clinical result using a standardized method of evaluation. General health status, as measured by the SF-36 Health Survey, was comparable to the published norms for U.S. male and female populations of similar age.
Conclusion:
Open reduction and internal fixation of the distal humerus in the elderly can provide good clinical results. Good clinical results, however, do not imply good general health status.