The Outcome of Precontoured Distal Humeral Locking Plate & Humeral Reconstruction Plate in the Treatment of Humeral Intercondylar Fractures

Author(s): Sarker MAZH, Fattah IU, Hossain SN, Roy SK, Billah MB, Paul R, Samad A, Kader MA

Background: Fractures of the elbow, specifically humeral intercondylar fractures, are common among adults worldwide, and treatment methods for these fractures vary based on various factors. Precontoured distal humeral locking plate fixation and humeral reconstruction plate fixation have gained popularity in the orthopedics community as treatment options. This study aimed to compare the functional outcomes of humeral intercondylar fracture treatments between precontoured distal humeral locking plate and humeral reconstruction plate.

Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at the Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh, over a two-year period from January 2017 to December 2018. Twenty patients with intercondylar humeral fractures were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and were randomly divided into two equal groups for treatment.

Result: The participants were divided into Group A (Precontoured Distal Humeral Locking fixation) and Group B (Humeral Reconstruction Plate fixation). The mean age was 40.60 years (SD 11.28) in Group A and 31.40 years (SD 13.59) in Group B. Female prevalence was slightly higher, and road traffic accidents were the most common cause of injury. There was no significant difference in operation time between the two groups, but hospital stay and mean time for bony union differed significantly. Patient complications were minimal, with 80% of Group A and 60% of Group B experiencing no complications. Excellent outcomes were observed in the majority of participants, with no significant difference between the two groups.

Conclusion: The study findings suggest that both humeral condylar precontoured locking plate and reconstruction plate are equally effective in treating humeral intercondylar fractures in adults. However, a slightly higher improvement rate and lower complication rate were observed among patients undergoing the precontoured locking plate method. These results support the use of both fixation methods for the treatment of humeral intercondylar fractures.

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