title: Glenoid fossa fractures: Outcome of operative and nonoperative treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Glenoid fossa fractures are rare injuries having a prevalence of 0.1%. These fractures may be managed operatively if substantially displaced. However, several fractures of glenoid fossa are managed nonoperatively, even if displaced, due to high incidence of associated injuries which may render patient unfit to undergo major orthopaedic surgery. There is a relative paucity of articles reporting on outcome of treatment of glenoid fossa fractures. We present our experience of treating these injuries over past decade with operative and nonoperative methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  21 patients of glenoid fossa fractures were included in this series with 14 males and 7 females. Patients with displacement of >5 mm who were fit to undergo surgery within 3 weeks of injury were operated using a posterior Judet's approach. Overall 8 patients with displaced fractures were operated (Group A) while 9 patients with displaced fractures (Group B) and 4 patients with undisplaced fractures (Group C) were managed nonoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age and followup period in this series was 29 years and 7.3 years respectively. In group A, average constant score was 87.25. The least constant score was observed for group B (58.55) while group C had an average constant score of 86. Brachial plexus injury and fracture-dislocations had poorer outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Operative treatment for displaced glenoid fractures is a viable option at centers equipped to handle critically ill patients and subset of patients with fracture-dislocation as opposed to fracture alone should always be treated operatively due to persistent loss of function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Ramesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sachin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sud
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Sushil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rangdal
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Radheshyam
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sament
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bachhal
keywords: Functional outcome; glenoid fracture; nonoperative; operative