Symptomatic Radial Neck Nonunion Following Traumatic Impacted Radial Neck Fracture

Purpose Minimally displaced or impacted radial neck fractures are commonly sustained after elbow trauma, although few require surgical treatment or result in lasting complications. Whereas they are rare, radial neck nonunion after this injury can have adverse implications for patient function and quality of life. The current study presents a case series of 8 radial neck nonunions after minimally displaced or impacted radial neck fractures. Methods Using our institution’s electronic medical record database, referred to as the Synthetic Derivative database, we performed a retrospective review of all radial neck fractures that presented to our institution over 15 years. Results Of 472 minimally displaced or impacted radial neck fractures, 8 progressed to symptomatic nonunion. Average age of these patients was 54 ± 9.3 years. One patient presented with bilateral radial neck nonunions. Conclusions Nonunion after an impacted radial neck fracture is a rare yet frustrating outcome for patients and providers alike. Our results estimate the rate of symptomatic radial neck nonunion after minimally displaced or impacted radial neck fractures to be 1.7%. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic IV.