Outcomes Following Type C Distal Humeral Fracture Fixation Using Two Different Osteosynthesis Techniques

Abstract

Background. Distal humeral fractures are notorious injuries, and they require surgical fixation. The reliability of reconstruction devices has been a subject of debate. Our primary outcome was to detect differences, if any, between two different groups of patients using the patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS) Global-10 form and to compare it with the Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS) results. Other secondary outcomes included the difference in union time between patients who received a reconstruction plate vs those who received a pre-contoured anatomical plate. Material and methods. It is a prospective randomised study which included a total of 30 cases equally distributed into two groups. Results. The mean PROMIS and MEPS scores for group A were 31.5 SD 6.6 and 77.7, respectively, compared to 33.7 SD 6.66 and 73, respectively, for the other group. Time to union was 13.4 weeks for group A and 12.6 weeks for the other group. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding union and function. However, reconstruction plates were more cost effective. The correlation between the MEPS and PROMIS G scores in both groups was statistically significant. Conclusion. No superiority of one method of fixation versus the other was demonstrated in terms of patient-related outcomes. Reconstruction plates are a cost-effective alternative in simple fracture patterns.