fractures of the distal humerus
TRANSCRIPT
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Fractures of the Distal Humerus
Laura S. Phieffer, MD
Original Authors: Jeffrey J. Stephany, MD and Gregory J. Schmeling, MD; March 2004
New Author: Laura S. Phieffer, MD; Revised January 2006
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distal humeral triangle
Functional Anatomy
• Hinged joint with single axis of rotation (trochlear axis)
• Trochlea is center point with a lateral and medial column
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Functional Anatomy
• The distal humerus angles forward
• Lateral positioning during ORIF facilitates reconstruction of this angle
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Surgical Anatomy
• The trochlear axis compared to longitudinal axis is 94-98 degrees in valgus
• The trochlear axis is 3-8 degrees externally rotated
• The intramedullary canal ends 2-3 cm above the olecranon fossa
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Surgical Anatomy
• Medial and lateral columns diverge from humeral shaft at 45 degree angle
• The columns are the important structures for support of the “distal humeral triangle”
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Mechanism of Injury
• The fracture is related to the position of elbow flexion when the load is applied
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Evaluation• Physical exam
– Soft tissue envelope– Vascular status
• Radial and ulnar pulses
– Neurologic status• Radial nerve - most commonly injured
– 14 cm proximal to the lateral epicondyle
– 20 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle
• Median nerve - rarely injured
• Ulnar nerve
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Evaluation
• Radiographic exam– Anterior-posterior and lateral radiographs
– Traction views are necessary to evaluate intra-articular extension and for pre-operative planning (“ligamentotaxis”)
– Traction removes overlap– CT scan helpful in selected cases
• Comminuted capitellum or trochlea
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OTA Classification
• Follows AO Long Bone System• Humerus, distal segment given # 13• 3 Main Types
• Extra-articular fracture (13-A)• Partial articular fracture (13-B)• Complete articular fracture (13-C)
• Each broad category further subdivided into 9 specific fracture types
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OTA Classification
• Humerus, distal segment (13)
– Types
• Extra-articular fracture (13-A)
• Partial articular fracture (13-B)
• Complete articular fracture (13-C)
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OTA Classification
• Humerus, distal segment (13)
– Types
• Extra-articular fracture (13-A)
• Partial articular fracture (13-B)
• Complete articular fracture (13-C)
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OTA Classification
• Humerus, distal segment (13)
– Types
• Extra-articular fracture (13-A)
• Partial articular fracture (13-B)
• Complete articular fracture (13-C)
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Summary - Classifications
• Classifications are useful for research!
• Classification data may not be reproducible between different surgeons!
• Classification data may not be reproduced by the same surgeon at different times!
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• Meaningful patterns– Extra-articular distal humerus
• Medial epicondyle• Lateral epicondyle• Distal metaphyseal humerus
– Partial articular distal humerus• Capitellum• Trochlea
– Complete articular distal humerus
Summary - Classifications
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Simplicity
• Group 1– Lateral epicondyle
– Medial epicondyle
– Capitellum
– Trochlea
• Group 2– Distal humerus
• Extra-articular
• Intra-articular
Note: Fixation tactics & implants are based on groups
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Treatment Principles
1. Anatomic articular reduction
2. Stable internal fixation of the articular surface
3. Restoration of articular axial alignment
4. Stable internal fixation of the articular segment to the metaphysis and diaphysis
5. Early range of motion of the elbow
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Treatment: Open Fracture
• Emergent I&D• Definitive reduction and internal fixation• Temporary external fixation across elbow if
definitive fixation not possible– Definitive fixation at repeat evaluation
• Empiric antibiotic therapy• Repeat evaluation in OR until soft tissue
closure (2-5 days)
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Treatment: Closed Fracture
• Definitive reduction and internal fixation– Timing
• Within 24 hours or at 5-7 days
– The inflammatory response peaks at 3 days post injury. ORIF during that peak may lead to excessive heterotopic ossification
• Empiric antibiotic therapy
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Fixation Methods: Group 1
• Lag screw fixation
• Comminution is supported by small or mini-fragment buttress plate
• Bone graft is considered for comminution and required for bone loss
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Fixation Methods: Group 2
• Lag screw fixation if possible
• Two column plate fixation– Not necessarily at 90 degrees to each other
• Bone graft is considered for comminution and required for bone loss
• Role of locked plating ?
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Literature: Schemitsch, et al, 1994
• Tested 2 different plate designs in 5 different configurations
• Distal humeral osteotomy with and without bone contact
• Conclusions:– For stable fixation the plates should be placed
on the separate columns but not necessary 90 degrees to each other
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Literature: Jacobson, et al, 1997
• Tested five constructs
• All were stiffer in the coronal plane than compared to the sagittal plane
• Strongest construct– medial reconstruction plate with posterolateral
dynamic compression plate
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Literature: Korner, et al, 2004
• Biomechanically compared double-plate osteosynthesis using conventional reconstruction plates and locking compression plates
• Conclusions– Biomechanical behavior depends more on plate
configuration than plate type. Advantages of locking plates were only significant if compared with dorsal plate application techniques (not 90/90)
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Other Potential Surgical Options
• Total elbow arthroplasty– Comminuted intra-articular fracture in the elderly
– Promotes immediate ROM
– Usually limited by poor remaining bone stock
• “Bag of bones” technique– Rarely indicated if at all
• Cast or cast / brace– Indicated for completely non-displaced, stable fractures
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Literature: John, et al, 1994
• 49 patients (75-90 yrs)• 41/49 Type C• Conclusions
– No increase in failure of fixation, nonunion, nor ulnar nerve palsy
– Age not a contra-indication for ORIF
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Result
very good good fair/poor
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Literature: Cobb & Morrey, 1997
• 20 patients– (avg age 72 yrs)
• TEA for distal humeral fracture
• Conclusion– TEA is viable
treatment option in elderly patient with distal humeral Fracture
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Result
Excellent Good Fair/poor
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Literature: Frankle et al, 2003
• Comparision of ORIF vs. TEA for intra-articular distal humerus fxs (type C2 or C3) in women >65yo
• Retrospective review of 24 patients• Outcomes
– ORIF: 4 excellent, 4 good, 1 fair, 3 poor– TEA: 11 excellent, 1 good
• Conclusions: TEA is a viable treatment option for distal intra-articular humerus fxs in women >65yo, particularly true for women with assoc comorbidities such as osteoporosis, RA, and conditions requiring the use of systemic steriods
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Surgical Treatment: Group I
• Supine with arm on arm board• Sterile tourniquet if possible• Medial or lateral incision• Ulnar nerve transposition considered only if
required implants in groove (medial fractures)• As complexity of fracture pattern increases a more
extensile exposure should be considered (see Exposures: Group II)
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Surgical Treatment: Group I
• Fragments are reduced and held with K-wires• Lag screws replace K-wires• Intra-articular screws can be buried in cartilage• Back to front screw direction possible with larger
capitellar or trochlear fragments• Small fragment or modular hand plates used to
buttress when fracture is comminuted
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Surgical Treatment: Group II
• Lateral decubitus position
• Arm hanging over a post
• Sterile tourniquet if possible
• Midline posterior incision
• Exposure ?
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Exposures
• Reduction influences outcome in articular fractures
• Exposure affects ability to achieve reduction
• Exposure influences outcome!
• Choose the exposure that fits the fracture pattern
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Exposures: Group II
• Triceps splitting– Allows exposure of shaft to olecranon fossa– Only indicated for high extra-articular Group II
fractures
• Extra-articular olecranon osteotomy– Allows adequate exposure of the distal humerus
but inadequate exposure of the articular surface– Indicated for extra-articular Group II fractures
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Literature: Voor, et al, 1995
• Recommend extra-articular osteotomy over intra-articular osteotomy in all cases
• Interesting biomechanical study
• Clinical study indicated to justify
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Exposures: Group II• Intra-articular olecranon osteotomy
– Types• Transverse
– Indicated for intra-articular Group II fractures
– Technically easier to do– Higher incidence of nonunion (Gainor, et
al, 1995)– Olecranon hardware removal in 80% of cases
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Exposures: Group II• Intra-articular olecranon osteotomy
– Types• Chevron
– Indicated for intra-articular Group II fractures
– Technically more difficult– More stable
– Olecranon hardware removal in 80% of cases
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Osteotomy Fixation Options
• Tension band technique
• Dorsal plating
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Osteotomy Fixation
• Tension band technique– Anti-shear component
• K-wires– Easier to place– Less stable than screw
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Osteotomy Fixation
• Tension band technique– Anti-shear component
• 6.5 mm screw plus washer
• Beware of the bow of the proximal ulna, which may cause a medial shift of the tip of the olecranon if a long screw is used.
– More stable
From Hak and Golladay, JAAOS, 8:266-75, 2000
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Osteotomy Fixation
• Tension band technique– Tension band
• Wire– Dual twist technique– Often palpable necessitating removal
• Braided cable– Small crimp less palpable but still can be
prominent
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Tension bandscrew
Tension bandWire
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Osteotomy Fixation
• Dorsal plating– Low profile periarticular
implants now available allowing antishear screw placement through the plate
– No clinical or biomechanical studies yet published using these plates
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Chevron Osteotomy
• Expose olecranon and mobilize ulnar nerve
• If using screw/TBW fixation, pre-drill and tap for 6.5mm screw placement down the ulna canal
• Small, thin oscillating saw used to cut 95% of the osteotomy
• Osteotome used to crack and complete it
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Exposures: Group II
• Triceps-sparing postero-medial approach (Byran-Morrey Approach)– Midline incision– Ulnar nerve identified and mobilized– Medial edge of triceps and distal forearm fascia
elevated as single unit off olecranon and reflected laterally
– Resection of extra-articular tip of olecranon
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Bryan-Morrey Approach
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Exposures: Group II
• Triceps-sparing postero-medial approach– An alternative to mobilizing the insertion of the
triceps off the olecranon in continuity with the forearm fascia is an extra-articular osteotomy of the olecranon (osteoanconeus flap)
– Anterior transposition of ulnar nerve– Triceps re-attached with suture through bone
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Surgical Treatment: Group II• Lateral decubitus position• Arm hanging over a post• Sterile tourniquet if possible• Midline posterior incision• Exposure ?• Reduction and K-wire fixation• Lag screws inserted and K-wires removed• Bi-column plating• Reconstruction of triceps insertion per exposure
chosen
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To transpose or not to transpose?
• Identification and mobilization of the ulnar nerve is required for Group II and medial Group I fractures
• Ulnar nerve palsy may be related to injury, surgical exposure and mobilization, compression by implant, or scar formation
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To transpose or not to transpose?
• Wang, et al, in a consecutive series of distal humeral fractures treated with ORIF and anterior ulnar nerve transposition had no post-operative ulnar nerve compression syndrome. Overall results: E/G 75%, F 10%, and P 15%. They conclude that routine anterior transposition indicated.
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To transpose or not to transpose?
• Transposition required if fixation requires implant placement in the ulnar groove
• Consider transposition of the ulnar nerve if extensive dissection in the ulnar groove required to achieve reduction
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To transpose or not to transpose?
• My preferred method– Anterior sub-cutaneous technique– Fascial sling (off flexor mass) attached to skin
to prevent reduction of transposition
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Post-operative care
• Bulky splint applied intra-op
• Elbow position– 90 degrees of flexion or extension?– Authors support either and proponents strongly
argue that their position is the best• Extension is harder to recover than flexion
• Final arc of motion recovered is more functional if centered on 90 degs. of flexion
• Use what works in your hands and rehab protocol
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Post-operative care
• Range-of-motion begun 2-3 days– Tailored to the fixation and soft tissue envelope
• AROM / AAROM
• PROM rarely used and may promote heterotopic ossification
• Anti-inflammatory for 6 weeks if at high risk for heterotopic ossification
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Outcomes
• Most daily activities can be accomplished:– 30 –130 degrees extension-flexion– 50 – 50 degrees pronation-supination
• Outcomes based on pain and function
• Good functional outcome– 15-140 degrees of motion
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Outcomes
• Flexion is the first to return usually– Within the first two months
• Extension comes more slowly– Usually returns 4-6 months
• Supination/pronation usually unaffected
• Pain- 25 % of patients describe exertional pain
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Outcomes
• What I tell patients to expect:– Loose 10-25 degs of flexion and extension– Maintain full supination and pronation– Decrease in muscle strength– Overall:
• Good/excellent 75%– Factors most likely to affect outcome
• Severity of injury• Occurrence of a complication
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Complications
• Failure of fixation– Associated with stability of operative fixation– K-wires fixation alone is inadequate– If diagnosed early, revision fixation indicated– Late fixation failure must be tailored to
radiographic healing and patient symptoms
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Complications
• Nonunion of distal humerus– Uncommon– Usually a failure of fixation– Symptomatic treatment– Bone graft with revision plating
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Complications
• Non-union of olecranon osteotomy– Rates as high as 5% or more– Chevron osteotomy has a lower rate– Treated with bone graft and revision tension
band technique– Excision of proximal fragment is salvage
• 50% of olecranon must remain for joint stability
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Complications
• Infection– Range 0-6% – Highest for open fractures– No style of fixation has a higher rate than any
other
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Complications
• Ulnar nerve palsy– 8-20% incidence– Reasons: operative manipulation, hardware
prominence, inadequate release– Results of neurolysis (McKee, et al)
• 1 excellent result
• 17 good results
• 2 poor results (secondary to failure of reconstruction)
– Prevention best treatment
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Complications
• Painful retained hardware– The most common complaint
– Common location
• Olecranon
• Medial hardware
– Hardware removal
• After fracture union
• One plate at a time in bicolumn fractures
– Removal of both plates with a single surgery is a fracture risk
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Summary
• ORIF indicated for most displaced patterns
• Total elbow arthroplasty excellent alternative in patient with osteopenia
• Preferred intra-articular osteotomy: Chevron
• Search a long time for a reason to NOT transpose ulnar nerve
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Case Examples
• Lateral column fracture
• Medial column fracture
• Intra-articular distal humeral fracture
• Extra-articular distal humeral fracture
• Fixation failure olecranon osteotomy
• Fixation failure distal humeral fracture
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Case 1: 18 y/o s/p fallLateral epicondyle and capitellum Fx’s
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Lateral approachCapitellum: Post to Ant lag screwsEpicondyle: Screw + buttress plateHealedLoss of 20 degs ext
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Case 2:43 y/o female fell from horse
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•Chevron intra-articular approach•Tension band screw•ORIF medial column Fx•Extensile exposure required intra-op
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Antegrade IM nail for humeral Fx
HealedLacks 10 degs elbow extensionFull shoulder motionOlecranon hardware tender
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Case 3: 20 y/o male MCADistal, two column FxNV intact
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Transverse intra-articular approachLag screw and bi-column platingTension band wire with cable
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HealedLacks 20 degs flex & ext.Osteotomy healed without complications
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References
• John, H, Rosso R, Neff U, Bodoky A, Regazzoni P, Harder F: Operative treatment of distal humeral fractures in the elderly. JBJS 76B: 793-796, 1994.
• Pereles TR, Koval KJ, Gallagher M, Rosen H: Open reduction and internal fixation of the distal humerus: Functional outcome in the elderly. J Trauma 43: 578-584, 1997
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References
• Cobb TK, Morrey BF: Total elbow arthroplasty as primary treatment for distal humeral fractures in elderly patients. JBJS 79A: 826-832, 1997
• Frankle MA, Herscovici D, DiPasuale TG et al: A comparison of ORIF and Primary TEA in the treatment of intraarticular distal humerus fractures in women older than age 65. J Orthop Trauma 17(7):473-480, 2003.
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References
• Schemitsch EH, Tencer AF, Henley MB: Biomechanical evaluation of methods of internal fixation of the distal humerus. J Orthop Trauma 8: 468-475, 1994
• Korner J, Diederichs G, Arzdorf M, et al: A Biomechanical evaluation of methods of distal humerus fracture fixation using locking compression versus conventional reconstruction plates. J Orthop Trauma 18(5):286-293, 2004.
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References
• Jacobson SR, Gilsson RR, Urbaniak JR: Comparison of distal humerus fracture fixation: A biomechanical study. J South Orthop Assoc 6: 241-249, 1997
• Voor, MJ, Sugita, S, Seligson, D: Traditional versus alternative olecranon osteotomy. Historical review and biomechanical analysis of several techniques. A J Orthopaedics 24: Suppl, 17-26, 1995
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References• Wang KC, Shih, HN, Hsu KY, Shih CH: Intercondylar
fractures of the distal humerus: Routine anterior subcutaneous transposition of the ulnar nerve in a posterior operative approach. J Trauma 36: 770-773, 1994
• McKee MD, Jupiter JB, Bosse G, Hines L: The results of ulnar neurolysis for ulnar neuropathy during post-traumatic elbow reconstruction. Orthopaedic Proceedings JBJS 77B (Suppl):75, 1995
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