032 MANAGEMENT OF COMMINUTED RADIAL HEAD FRACTURES WITH ARTHROPLASTY

The treatment of radius head comminuted fractures remains controversial. The radius head excision and the radius head arthroplasty have been proposed as the main treatment methods. We present 13 cases, 6 men and 7 women aged 25–68 years old with radius head comminuted fractures Mason type III during 2005–2006. Elbow dislocation was also present in 3 patients, ulnar comminuted fracture in 1 patient and ipsilateral cubitocarpal comminuted fracture in another patient. All patients were managed operatively with radius head removal and cementless monopolar metallic prothesis placement. The others musculoskeletal injuries were managed at the same time. The average hospitalization was 6.8 days without complication postoperatively. 12 cases were followed up and the average follow up period was 26 months. In 6 cases the results were excellent, in 3 cases the results were moderate and in 3 cases the results were bad. We believe that the arthroplasty is the acceptable method in radius head comminuted fractures management especially in cases were complicated elbow damages are present.