EARLY RESULTS OF ELBOW PROSTHESIS FOR THE TREATMENT OF COMMUNICATED ELBOW FRACTURES DUE TO GUN-SHOT INJURY
K ERLER, M KÖMÜRCÜ, B DEMİRALP, M BAŞBOZKURT, E GÜR
Gülhane Askeri Tıp Akademisi ve Askeri Tıp Fakültesi Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji Anabilim Dalı, Etlik-Ankara
Keywords: Elbow Prosthesis, Comminuted Elbow Fractures.
Abstract
Introduction: We have evaluated the early results of elbow prosthesis applied to 7 cases a result of the gunshot injuries at Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department of GMMA between 1994-1998.
Patients and methods: Six cases were treated by constrained elbow prothesis while the remaining one by unconstrained prosthesis. Five cases also had nerve injuries. Three of these cases were treated by nerve repair at early postoperative period and two of them at late postoperative period. Only one case with nerve injury required tendon transfer.
Results: Loosening in one case and infection in another was seen. No fracture or dislocation was encountered in 25 month-follow-up period.
Conclusion: Elbow prosthesis is one of the surgical alternations for the treatment of communicated fractures with the right patient selection.