Author(s)

Jagdeep Singh, Anoop Kalia^*, Anshul Dahuja, Kapil Bansal

Department of Orthopaedics, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, India.

Aim: To compare the functional outcome as well as elbow range of motion (ROM) after triceps splitting and triceps sparing approach for AO/OTA TYPE A distal humerus fractures. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective study done at our center between 2011 and 2014. A total of 50 patients presented with extra articular distal humerus fracture (AO/OTA 13 A2, 13A3). Exclusion criteria removed 16 patients from the study while 2 patients died due to medical comorbidities before the final follow up. Out of the remaining 32 patients, they were divided into two groups: triceps splitting (15 patients) and triceps sparing (17 patients). Elbow ROM, along with Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire scores, was compared between the two groups. Results: Triceps sparing group had greater elbow flexion (140.0 ± 4.0) compared to triceps splitting group (126.0 ± 10.0) with p < 0.001. Extension contracture was also significantly less in triceps sparing (5.0 ± 6.0) group as compared to triceps splitting group (24.0 ± 8.0) with p < 0.001. However, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of DASH scores between the two groups with DASH score being (24.28 ± 10.14) in the sparing group as compared to (30.41 ± 14.36) in the splitting group with p = 0.169. Conclusion: As compared to triceps splitting approach, triceps sparing approach results in better elbow ROM with less extension contracture, however both approaches result in similar functional outcome.

Triceps Sparing, Triceps Splitting, Extension Contracture

Singh, J. , Kalia, A. , Dahuja, A. and Bansal, K. (2018) Functional Outcomes after Triceps Splitting versus Triceps Sparing Approach for Extra-Articular Distal Humerus Fractures. Open Journal of Orthopedics, 8, 85-94. doi: 10.4236/ojo.2018.83011.