Biomechanical comparison of tension band wiring and plate fixation with locking screws in transverse olecranon fractures.
Elbow
biomechanics
elbow surgery
olecranon fracture
plate fixation
tension band wiring
Journal
Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery
ISSN: 1532-6500
Titre abrégé: J Shoulder Elbow Surg
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 9206499
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Jun 2020
Jun 2020
Historique:
received:
15
10
2019
revised:
02
01
2020
accepted:
12
01
2020
pubmed:
7
3
2020
medline:
18
11
2020
entrez:
7
3
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Tension band wiring (TBW) is the standard method for treating transverse olecranon fractures, but high rates of complications and reoperations have been reported. Plate fixation (PF) with locking screws has been introduced as an alternative method that may retain the fracture reduction better with a higher load to failure. Twenty paired cadaveric elbows were used. All soft tissues except for the triceps tendon were removed. A standardized transverse fracture was created, and each pair was allocated randomly to TBW or PF with locking screws. The triceps tendon was mounted to the materials testing machine with the elbow in 90° of flexion. Construct stiffness was compared 3 times. Then, the elbows underwent a chair lift-off test by loading the triceps tendon to 300 N for 500 cycles. Finally, a load-to-failure test was performed, and failure mechanism was recorded. The construct stiffness of PF was higher in the first of 3 measurements. No difference was observed in the cyclic test or in load to failure. Hardware failure was the failure mechanism in 8 of 10 TBW constructs, and all failures occurred directly under the twists of the metal wire. Hardware failure was the cause of failure in only 1 elbow in the PF group (P < .01). There was no difference in fracture displacement following fixation with TBW and PF with locking screws in transverse olecranon fractures. However, assessment of the mode of hardware failure identified the metal cerclage twist as the weakest link in the TBW construct.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Tension band wiring (TBW) is the standard method for treating transverse olecranon fractures, but high rates of complications and reoperations have been reported. Plate fixation (PF) with locking screws has been introduced as an alternative method that may retain the fracture reduction better with a higher load to failure.
METHODS
METHODS
Twenty paired cadaveric elbows were used. All soft tissues except for the triceps tendon were removed. A standardized transverse fracture was created, and each pair was allocated randomly to TBW or PF with locking screws. The triceps tendon was mounted to the materials testing machine with the elbow in 90° of flexion. Construct stiffness was compared 3 times. Then, the elbows underwent a chair lift-off test by loading the triceps tendon to 300 N for 500 cycles. Finally, a load-to-failure test was performed, and failure mechanism was recorded.
RESULTS
RESULTS
The construct stiffness of PF was higher in the first of 3 measurements. No difference was observed in the cyclic test or in load to failure. Hardware failure was the failure mechanism in 8 of 10 TBW constructs, and all failures occurred directly under the twists of the metal wire. Hardware failure was the cause of failure in only 1 elbow in the PF group (P < .01).
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
There was no difference in fracture displacement following fixation with TBW and PF with locking screws in transverse olecranon fractures. However, assessment of the mode of hardware failure identified the metal cerclage twist as the weakest link in the TBW construct.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32139286
pii: S1058-2746(20)30116-6
doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2020.01.079
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Comparative Study
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1242-1248Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.