Objective:

To evaluate the treatment outcomes of conservative immobilization using braces compared to open reduction with internal fixation surgery for uncomplicated Mason II radial head fractures.

Approach:

Key Findings:

• Conservative treatment cohort had a mean fracture healing time of 10.41 weeks and a Broberg–Morrey score of 90.82, with average elbow flexion of 134.32° and extension of 7.65°.
• Surgical treatment cohort had a mean fracture healing time of 10.92 weeks and a Broberg–Morrey score of 91.44, with average elbow flexion of 129.27° and extension of 5.26°.
• No significant differences were observed between groups regarding healing time, elbow range of motion, or complication rates (P > 0.05).
• One malunion occurred in the conservative group, while the surgical group had two postoperative infections and two internal-fixation failures.

Interpretation:

Both non-operative and operative interventions resulted in acceptable elbow functionality in uncomplicated Mason II fractures.

Limitations:

• Retrospective design may introduce bias.
• Small sample size may limit generalizability.

Conclusion:

Preoperative computed tomography enhances fracture assessment.

Attribution Notice

This content is an AI-generated, fully rewritten summary based on a published scholarly article. It does not reproduce the original text and is not a substitute for the original publication. Readers are encouraged to consult the source for full context, data, and methodology.