Fixation of Posterior Process Fractures of the Olecranon Using a Modified Suture Bridge Technique: Report of 2 Cases

• Published in: The Journal of hand surgery (American ed.) Vol. 39; no. 12; pp. 2434 - 2437
• Main Authors: Cha, Soo Min, MD, Shin, Hyun Dae, MD, PhD, Kim, Kyung Cheon, MD, PhD, Noh, Chang Kyun, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-12-2014
• Subjects: Bone Wires; Disability Evaluation; Female; Fracture Fixation, Internal - methods; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Olecranon; Olecranon Process - injuries; Olecranon Process - surgery; Orthopedics; posterior process fracture; Suture Anchors; suture bridge; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ulna Fractures - surgery; Olecranon; posterior process fracture; suture bridge
• ISSN: 0363-5023; 1531-6564
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.08.015

We encountered 2 patients with posterior process fractures of the olecranon and fixed the fragment using a modified suture bridge method without a metallic implant. The suture anchor was inserted distally through the fracture plane, and the small tip of proximal olecranon was reduced to the ulna. Computed tomography revealed bony union 4 and 5 months later. At the 1-year postoperative follow-up examination, the clinical outcomes were satisfactory in both patients. This suture bridge technique was reliable for small fragment fixation in posterior process fracture of the olecranon based on the tension band theory with no problems induced by metallic hardware.