title: A comparison of functional outcome of intercondylar fracture of distal humerus managed by olecranon osteotomy approach versus triceps sparing approach in adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the frequency of satisfactory functional outcome of intercondylar fractures of distal humerus managed by the triceps-sparing approach and olecranon osteotomy approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  The randomised controlled study was conducted at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from September 1, 2012 to August31 2014,and comprised patients> 14 years of age who were admitted through the Accident and Emergency Department and were prepared for surgery to repair intercondylar fractures of distal humerus. The patients were randomly divided into two equal groups. Implants were arranged preoperatively. Patients in group A were managed by open reduction internal fixationvia olecranon osteotomy approach, and those in group B were managed by open reduction internal fixationvia triceps-sparing approach by the same team of surgeons. Mayo Elbow Performance Score was used to assess the functional outcome. Demographic, preoperative and postoperative clinical information of all patients were entered into a predesigned proforma and variables were evaluated statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 150 patients in the study were randomly divided into two groups of 75(50%) patients each. The overall mean age was 49.01±14.63 years. Mean age of group A patients was 53.84±11.86 years and that of group B was 44.19±15.59 years. In group A, there were 67(89.3%) patients who had satisfactory functional outcome and 8(10.7%) had unsatisfactory outcome. In groupB,53(70.7%) patients had satisfactory and 22(29.3%) patients had unsatisfactory functional outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Olecranonosteotomy approach was found to be more effective and preferable compared to the triceps-sparing approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, KEMU/Mayo Hospital, Lahore.
authors.forename: Muhammad Usman
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Khalid
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, KEMU/Mayo Hospital, Lahore.
authors.forename: Kazi Muhammad
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, KEMU/Mayo Hospital, Lahore.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akhter
keywords: Functional outcome, Olecranon osteotomy approach, Triceps-sparing approach, Intra-articular fracture distal humerus.