Pyrocarbon arthroplasty provides satisfactory outcomes such
as radial neck-reabsorption in patients with acute unreconstructable radial
head fractures.
A total of 75% of patients with acute unreconstructable
radial head fractures showed satisfactory outcomes when treated with Pyrocarbon
arthroplasty, evident from a study of the Journal of Orthopaedics and
Traumatology. The comprehensive approach used for radial head fractures
treatment are the radial head prostheses. However, due to isolated resection of
the radial head without displacing it may cause chronic elbow instability,
longitudinal radial imbalance and increased valgus angle. These issues can be avoided
by replacing the radial head with the prosthesis.
In this study, eighteen patients who went through radial
head implantation of the MoPyC prosthesis from 2004 to 2015 were included in
the analysis. Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) was used to determine
clinical outcomes. Also, the radiological elbow assessments, range of motion
and pain were evaluated. The radiological outcomes with clinical outcomes were
estimated by applying non-parametric, statistical analysis.
Patients showed an improved median flexion arch of 113°
after a mean follow-up of 6.5 years. A total of 77% of patients showed
satisfactory outcomes with 89.5 MEPS. The X-ray exhibited highly frequent
periprosthetic changes; radial neck
re-absorption in 83%, arthrosic changes in 78% and radiolucent lines in 38% of
cases. Although, no statistically significant differences found when these
changes correlated with the clinical results (p > 0.05). The loss of the
ballooning of the stem legs and progressive radiolucencies were considered as
the signs of bad prognosis and radial neck re-absorption as the sign of good
stem osteointegration during the analysis. Overall, acceptable evidence was
shown by the pyrocarbon radial head prosthesis in radial head fractures
management.
J Orthop Traumatol
Pyrocarbon arthroplasty in acute unreconstructable radial head fractures: mid-term to long term results.
F. Javier Ricón et al.
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