title: Postoperative complications of distal humeral fractures. 27/96 adults followed up for 6 (2-10) years.
abstract: Of 96 adult patients with a distal intercondylar, intraarticular fracture of the humerus treated operatively during a 10-year period, 27 patients suffered a local complication, while the total number of individual complications were 34. There were six postoperative infections, 12 neural injuries, and 16 fixation failures. Because of the complication, a reoperation was performed in 12 of the 27 patients. The final outcome was assessed at a reexamination after a mean follow-up period of 6 (2-10) years. Three patients had a permanent dysfunction of the ulnar nerve. In another 3 patients, failure of the fixation had resulted in an established nonunion of the distal humerus. It appeared that the possibilities of internal fixation in several cases had been overestimated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Södergård
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandelin
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Böstman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular