Comminuted intraarticular fractures of the distal humeral condyles. ³

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Surgical vs. nonsurgical treatment. Zagorski JB. Jennings JJ. Burkhalter WE. Uribe JW. Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research. (202):197-204, 1986 Jan. Forty-two comminuted intraarticular fractures of the humeral condyles treated between 1975 and 1981 were analyzed in order to compare the results of operative versus nonoperative management. Twenty-nine patients were treated by open reduction and internal fixation; the remainder were Á treated by nonoperative techniques. Functional results were evaluated by the method of Bickel and Perry. Of the patients treated by open reduction and internal fixation, 76% had an excellent or good result. Of the nonsurgically-treated patients, only eight percent had a satisfactory result. Anatomic restoration by open reduction and rigid internal fixation in conjunction with early motion was associated with satisfactory results. The preferred surgical exposure was a posterior "U" incision with extraarticular olecranon osteotomy. This provided good visualization and facilitated anatomic restoration in these complex fractures. *