Olecranon Fracture
Conditions
Brief summary
This study takes place in one hospital and uses a random method to divide patients into groups. It looks at the best way to treat a broken elbow (specifically, a displaced olecranon fracture) in older adults who don't use their arms heavily. There are 84 patients in total, with 42 people in each group
Interventions
A cut is made along the back of the elbow to reach the broken bone. The surgeon carefully moves tissues aside and protects nearby nerves. The broken bone is cleaned, realigned, and held in place with a special metal plate and screws. This helps support the bone, especially in older patients with fragile bones. The surgeon checks the placement using live X-ray and moves the arm to ensure stability. The area is then closed with stitches, bandaged, and sometimes supported with a light splint. Recovery starts early, with gentle exercises to regain movement while protecting the repair.
OTHERConservative treatment with early mobilisation
Conservativel treatment usually involves wearing a sling or light support for about two weeks to manage pain. After that, the patient begins gentle, supervised arm movements to prevent stiffness and muscle loss. As the pain improves, exercises become more active and focused on regaining strength. The goal is to let the bone heal while keeping the elbow working well.
Sponsors
Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Patients with an acute (\< 2 weeks) Mayo type 2A or 2B olecranon fracture * Patients aged \> 65 years • Patients with reduced functional demand, with a score \> 2 and \< 7 on the Clinical Frailty Scale * Patients able to provide informed consent and follow all study procedures as indicated in the protocol * Signed informed consent for study participation
Exclusion criteria
* Patients aged \< 65 years or with a Clinical Frailty Scale score \> 7 or \< 2 * Patients with a Mayo type 2A or 2B fracture seen more than 2 weeks after injury * Old fracture (\> 6 months), pseudoarthrosis, or unhealed nerve injury of the ipsilateral upper limb * Open (Gustilo-Anderson type 2 or 3) or pathological fracture * Previous injury to, or other condition of, the elbow with severe functional impairment * Patients with severe comorbidities preventing safe surgical treatment * Other acute fracture or nerve damage of the ipsilateral upper limb * Known drug or alcohol abuse * Inability to follow study procedures (e.g., due to language barriers or severe comorbidities)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| between-group difference in the Oxford Elbow Score (Italian Version) with the subscales Function, Pain, and Social-Psychological | 6 months after injury | the Oxford Elbow Score is a patient-reported outcome measure specifically developed to evaluate elbow function. It includes 12 items divided into three domains: elbow pain, elbow function, and social-psychological impact. Each item is scored on a 5-point scale, and domain scores can be summed to obtain an overall score, where higher values indicate better outcomes. It is validated for use in both clinical and research settings and is sensitive to change, making it suitable for assessing treatment effects in patients with elbow disorders |
Countries
Switzerland
Contacts
CONTACTDavide Previtali, MD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORDavide Previtali, MD
EOC
Outcome results
None listed