This study aimed to elucidate the mid-term radiological findings in patients with a pyrocarbon radial head prosthesis and to correspond them to patient symptoms.
The radial head is an
important secondary stabiliser of the elbow against valgus loading, and the
fractures of radial head are common. This retrospective case series showed that
the patients recovered a median flexion arch of 113°; hence most of them are
classed as satisfactory outcomes which can be expected midterm when using
pyrocarbon prostheses.
This study aimed to
elucidate the mid-term radiological findings in patients with a pyrocarbon
radial head prosthesis and to correspond them to patient symptoms.
All in all 18 patients who
underwent radial head implantation of the MoPyC prosthesis between the year
2004 and 2015, due to unreconstructable radial head fractures were reviewed.
Clinical outcomes were measured with the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS).
The range of motion, pain, and elbow radiological assessments was recorded.
Non-Parametric, statistical analysis was carried out to examine the
radiological findings with the clinical outcomes.
Following a mean follow-up
of 6.5 years (2 to11 years), patients have recovered a median flexion arch of
113°; hence 77% are classed as satisfactory outcomes, with an average MEPS score
of 89.5. The occurrence of periprosthetic changes on X-ray is commonly
observed, the authors found radiolucent lines in 38% cases, radial neck
reabsorption in 83%, and arthrosic modifications in 78%. However, the
differences observed when correlating these changes with the clinical results
have not been statistically significant (p > 0.05).
In about 75% cases the
Satisfactory outcomes expected midterm when using pyrocarbon prostheses. The
researchers considered radial neck re-absorption to be a sign of good stem
osteointegration, on the other hand, progressive radiolucencies and loss of the
ballooning of the stem legs are signs of bad prognosis in our
series.
J Orthop Traumatol
Pyrocarbon arthroplasty in acute unreconstructable radial head fractures: mid-term to long term results
Ricon FJ et al.
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