Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Sep 19;55(3):680-687.
doi: 10.1007/s43465-020-00260-x. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Return to Work After Surgical Treatment in Patients with AO Type C Distal Humerus Fractures

Mert Kumbaraci  1 , Can Doruk Basa  1 , Ali Turgut  1
Affiliations

Analysis of Factors Affecting Return to Work After Surgical Treatment in Patients with AO Type C Distal Humerus Fractures

Mert Kumbaraci et al. Indian J Orthop. .

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the functional results of distal humerus fractures which were treated by open reduction and fixation with pre-contoured angular stable plates in young patients, and investigate whether the patients could return to their pre-injury work and patients' financial conditions while they were not working.

Materials and methods: The data of 48 patients, ages between 18 and 55 years, working in a job and having AO/OTA type C distal humerus fracture were retrospectively evaluated. Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) was used to determine functional results. Postoperative radiographs were evaluated to determine the rate of union, degenerative changes, malunion and heterotopic ossification. Financial outcome form was constituted by the authors and the patients asked whether she/he could return to their pre-injury works after treatment finished and the financial status of the patients during the treatment and after the treatment.

Results: The mean flexion-extension arc was 114° ± 12°(range 85°-135°) and the mean MEPS score was 85 ± 11(range 65-100). The average time to return to work was 6.5 ± 2.4 months (3-12 months). AO type C2 and C3 fractures and heterotopic ossification negatively affected the functional results and also adversely affected the patients' return to their pre-injury works. 38 (79%) patients returned to pre-injury work and 29 (76%) of them started to work at the same position before the fracture occured. Nine of 38 patients (24%) had to change their positions. Among the 48 patients, 10 patients (21%) could not return to the same work, 7 of them found light duty and 3 of them had not been to work.

Conclusion: Although the functional results of surgical treatment of intra-articular distal humerus fractures are good, at the end of the treatment, especially heavy workers may have difficulties in returning to their former works.

Keywords: Angular stable fixation; Distal humerus fracture; Functional results; Return to pre-injury work.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of InterestAll authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Sharma S, John R, Dhillon MS, Kishore K. Surgical approaches for open reduction and internal fixation of intra-articular distal humerus fractures in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Injury. 2018;49(8):1381–1391. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2018.06.018. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Tunalı O, Erşen A, Pehlivanoğlu T, Bayram S, Atalar AC, Demirhan M. Evaluation of risk factors for stiffness after distal humerus plating. International Orthopaedics. 2018;42(4):921–926. doi: 10.1007/s00264-018-3792-3. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Zalavras CG, Papasoulis E. Intra-articular fractures of the distal humerus-a review of the current practice. International Orthopaedics. 2018;42(11):2653–2662. doi: 10.1007/s00264-017-3719-4. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Schmidt-Horlohé KH, Bonk A, Wilde P, Becker L, Hoffmann R. Promising results after the treatment of simple and complex distal humerus type C fractures by angular-stable double-plate osteosynthesis. Orthopaedics Traumatology Surgery Research. 2013;99(5):531–541. doi: 10.1016/j.otsr.2013.02.004. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Patel J, Motwani G, Shah H, Daveshwar R. Outcome after internal fixation of intraarticular distal humerus (AO type B & C) fractures: preliminary results with anatomical distal humerus LCP system. Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma. 2017;8(1):63–67. doi: 10.1016/j.jcot.2017.02.004. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources