Silicone Rubber Replacement of the Severely Fractured Radial Head

Min, Byung Woo; Kang, Chang Soo; Pyun, Young Sik; Song, Kwang Soon; Ha, Young Wook

Abstract

The best method of treatment for displaced comminuted fractures of the radial head is still controversial. Early excision of the fractured radial head has been favored by a number of authors. but problems such as chronic pain in the elbow, forearm or wrist, restricted movement of the elbow, late subluxation of the distal radio-ulnar joint can ensue. So prosthetic replacement of the radial head had been advocated either for acute treatment of a fracture or for delayed treatment, when conservative treatment has failed. We analyzed 10 patients with comminuted radial head fracture treated by silastic prosthesls replacement shortly after injury from Jan. 1988 to Dec. 1992. The results were as follows. 1. Age distribution at operation was varied from 19 to 57 year with the average at 40.9 year. 2. The average time interval between initial radial head fracture and silastic prosthetic replacement was about 10 days(range 4 days to 18 days). 3. 6 patients(60%) were free of elbow, pain 2 patients(20%) had intermittent mild pain especially at night and 2 patients(20%) had mild pain only after heavy work. 4. All patients were free of wrist pain 5. There was no patient of breaking or tilting of prosthesis radiologically. 6. Overall assessment showed excellent in 4 patients(40%), good in 4 patients(40%) and poor in 2 patients(20%).