Olecranon Fracture
This is a fracture to the most prominent bone of the elbow. Often referred to as the “funny bone,” the olecranon is actually the bone at the end of the ulna, one of the two forearm bones, and is attached to the powerful triceps muscle of the arm. Since the triceps muscle is used to straighten the elbow, an olecranon fracture can seriously impair a patient’s ability to straighten the elbow joint.
Treatment
The treatment prescribed for an olecranon fracture depends entirely on the amount of displacement of the fracture fragments as well as the function of the triceps muscle.
If the fracture is minimally displaced, or nondisplaced, and the triceps muscle is still able to extend the elbow, then surgery may not be required. In such cases, rest and protected motion will usually heal the fracture over time. However, in most cases surgery of an olecranon fracture is the normal treatment.
When the bone fragments are out of position or the triceps muscle has become detached, then surgery is generally prescribed for treatment of an olecranon fracture. The procedure is performed by the surgeon making an incision over the back of the elbow joint and then the bone fragments are carefully repositioned back into their proper location. Some combination of wires, pins, plates, and/or screws can be used to safely secure the bone fragments. |
