Results of treatment of fracture-dislocations of the elbow joint using the author's fixator: retrospective cohort study

   Treatment of fracture-dislocations of the forearm and external lateral rotational instability of the elbow joint is challenging. The authors proposed a dynamic fixation device, manufactured during surgery, which can improve the results of treatment of this pathology.

   The purpose of the study was to study the effectiveness of using the author's method of surgical treatment and a special implant in the treatment of fracture-dislocations of the forearm bones.

   Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of the results of treatment of patients with closed isolated fracture-dislocations of the elbow joint was conducted in the period from 2009 to 2019; the study included 23 patients (14 women and 9 men), with an average age of 47.8 ± 12.1 years. The patients were operated on using the author's dynamic stabilizer; the average preoperative period was 7.6 ± 3.9 days.

   Results. Pain syndrome on the VAS scale before surgery was 5.9 ± 1.0 points, on the first day after surgery it increased to 7.8 ± 0.9 points and then gradually slowly decreased by the 14^th day after surgery to 2.0 ± 0.7 points. Dynamometry of hand strength at 3 months (35.8 ± 5.0 kg) by 12 months (55.8 ± 7.1 kg) increased by 35.8 %. Results on the MEPS scale from 1.5 to 12 months increased from 49.7 ± 4.4 to 87.7 ± 8.9 points by 43.3 %, the DASH scale at 1.5 months was 31.8 ± 10.3 points and at 12 months decreased to 18.5 ± 10.2 points (by 41.8 %).

   Conclusion: In the treatment of fracture-dislocations of the forearm, early surgical intervention using an original metal structure is effective, which allows you to begin early rehabilitation without using immobilization, obtain good functional results, avoiding the formation of post-traumatic instability and
contractures in the elbow joint.

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