FRACTURE: Fracture radial neck…preserving the head and joint…preventing excision
Young male came to us with history
of fall, following which he had pain in his elbow. There was pain on movement
with restriction of supination pronation of forearm. X rays were done and
fracture radius neck was diagnosed. The patient was operated using
posterolateral approach and the fracture was fixed using AO proximal radius plate.
In earlier times, in such fractures the radial head had to be excised due to non-availability
of good implants. Hence whatever means of fixation were used, the fracture was
inadequately stabilized leading to nonunion at fracture site and eventually
requiring radial head excision. Early excision of the radial head carried the
risk of destabilizing the elbow and dislocation in some cases. This case is a
clear example wherein the use of advanced implants has helped fix the fracture
in a stable way. The advantages of preserving the radial head are good range of
motion at elbow joint, overall stability of elbow joint, no chances of proximal
migration of radius with radio capitellar arthritis, and distal radio ulnar
joint pain. This patient had union in good time with excellent elbow mobility
and stability.