PHILOS Plate Osteosynthesis in Metaphyseal Fractures of the Distal Humerus through an Anterolateral Approach

Park,  Jung Ho; Kim,  Jung Wook; Oh,  Chi Hun; Choi,  Keun Seok; Hong,  Jae Young; Kim,  Jae Gyoon

doi:2015.18.3.128

Clin Shoulder Elb > Volume 18(3); 2015 > Article

Original Article

Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow 2015;18(3):128-132.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5397/cise.2015.18.3.128 Published online September 30, 2015.

PHILOS Plate Osteosynthesis in Metaphyseal Fractures of the Distal Humerus through an Anterolateral Approach

Jung Ho Park, Jung Wook Kim, Chi Hun Oh, Keun Seok Choi, Jae Young Hong, Jae Gyoon Kim

¹Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea. canall@korea.ac.kr
²Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Barun Joint Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
³Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Burteam Hospital, Osan, Korea.

Received: 28 October 2014 • Revised: 28 February 2015 • Accepted: 5 March 2015

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We described a surgical method for osteosynthesis and reported the resultant strength after application of a PHILOS plate through the anterolateral approach for the treatment of fractures of the distal humerus.
METHODS
Between February 2010 and March 2012, open reduction and internal fixation operations with the PHILOS plate for treatment of fracture of the distal humerus were performed on a total of nine patients (five men, four women). The mean age was 40.8 years (range, 24-50 years), and the average follow-up period was 9.1 months (range, 6-15 months). Clinical evaluations were performed 6 months after the operation. Clinical assessment included determination of the range of motion of the elbow, the Mayo and Oxford elbow scores, and any postoperative complications.
RESULTS
Fracture union was noted in all patients, with an average period of 12.4 weeks. The average Mayo elbow and Oxford elbow scores were 87.2 (of a total of 100) and 43.3 (of a total of 48), respectively. For the postoperative range of motion of the elbow, all patients showed complete recovery to the preoperative range of motion. No other conditions, such as neurolepsis, plate breakage, or rotational deformity, were observed.
CONCLUSIONS
Open reduction and internal fixation of distal humerus fractures with a PHILOS plating system via anterolateral approach can be effective. A high rate of union with good outcomes can be assumed.

Key Words: Humeral fractures; Fracture fixation