Transverse olecranon osteotomy with Gigli saw: A fast and reliable technique

Objective. Distal humerus fractures constitute of approximately 2% of all fractures and 30% of elbow fractures. Olecranon osteotomy provides excellent exposure of distal humerus and articular surface. In this study, we aimed to compare transverse osteotomy with gigli saw and classical chevron osteotomy techniques in terms of osteotomy duration and clinical results. Materials and Methods. 40 elbows of 40 patients with Type B intraarticular distal humerus fractures according to AO classification were included in our study. Patients were divided into 2 groups as transverse or chevron osteotomy groups. Patients were evaluated in terms of intraoperative osteotomy time, postoperative time to union, range of motion in the elbow joint and Quick Dash scores at 6th, 12th and 24th months. Results. The mean age of the patients was 45.6 years (19-62). 40% of the patients (8 patients) in the Chevron group had more than 2 mm stepping at articular surface, while this rate was 10% (2 patients) in the gigli saw group. Union was obtained in all patients for both techniques. There was no significant difference between the mean QuickDASH scores and range of motion of the elbow joints except flexion in both groups. Range of motion of flexion was statistically better in the gigli saw group (p<0.05). Conclusions. Transverse osteotomy technique significantly reduces osteotomy and fixation time and will not cause problems in fracture union. It may be preferred because it is simpler and faster to apply than chevron osteotomy and because intra-articular stepping is less common.