TY - JOUR
T1 - Circular external fixation for treatment of distal humerus fractures
T2 - Case report
AU - Lewandowski, Louis
AU - Tintle, Scott M.
AU - Daniel, Carl
AU - O'Daniel, Joseph A.
AU - Fleming, Mark
AU - Keeling, John
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - High-energy blasts can lead to complex intra-articular distal humerus fractures with extensive soft tissue loss, and treatment is fraught with complications. We describe 2 patients with such injuries treated successfully with the use of aggressive wound management followed by distal humerus fracture stabilization with a circular external fixator. We chose this circular external fixator over the Ilizarov frame because of our experience and success in the treatment of open tibia fractures with negligible malalignment and high union rate. This circular external fixator allows for indirect reduction of fracture fragments over time to improve final alignment with great control to fine-tune the reduction postoperatively. In our humerus cases, fracture union was achieved with good alignment and acceptable functional range of motion. Symptomatic heterotopic ossification did not develop despite the presence of multiple risk factors.
AB - High-energy blasts can lead to complex intra-articular distal humerus fractures with extensive soft tissue loss, and treatment is fraught with complications. We describe 2 patients with such injuries treated successfully with the use of aggressive wound management followed by distal humerus fracture stabilization with a circular external fixator. We chose this circular external fixator over the Ilizarov frame because of our experience and success in the treatment of open tibia fractures with negligible malalignment and high union rate. This circular external fixator allows for indirect reduction of fracture fragments over time to improve final alignment with great control to fine-tune the reduction postoperatively. In our humerus cases, fracture union was achieved with good alignment and acceptable functional range of motion. Symptomatic heterotopic ossification did not develop despite the presence of multiple risk factors.
KW - Combat-related fracture treatment
KW - Taylor spatial frame
KW - complex intraarticular fractures
KW - novel fracture treatment
KW - open fracture
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84878257351&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jhsa.2013.03.026
DO - 10.1016/j.jhsa.2013.03.026
M3 - Article
C2 - 23707016
AN - SCOPUS:84878257351
SN - 0363-5023
VL - 38
SP - 1155
EP - 1160
JO - Journal of Hand Surgery
JF - Journal of Hand Surgery
IS - 6
ER -