Case report –
abstractStress
fracture of the tip of the olecranon in a professional discus thrower Ionescu Anca Mirela1, Anghelescu Dan2, Anghelescu Marian1 1National Institute of Sports Medicine, Bucharest, Romania 2Medsport Clinic, Bucharest, Romania
Abstract
A 24 year
old male, professional discus thrower presented in our orthopedic
service with four months history of posterior elbow joint pain and mild
impairment in function. He described a "snap" in his right elbow during
a regular practice. The standard X-ray showed no particular lesions.
The treatment was short physical rest and oral NSAID. He continued to
train but with a decrease in performance. Four months later, after the
competition season ended, he returned with persistent pain in elbow
joint but still with no impairment in elbow function or range of motion
(ROM). An MRI was performed which showed an aspect of
comminutive fracture of the tip of the olecranon incompletely
consolidated and a CT (computed tomographic) scan was necessary to
confirm the diagnosis. The choice for the surgical technique
was a challenge because of the particularity of the high functional
demands of the patient. The option was an olecranon osteotomy with
excision of the small comminuted fragments in the olecranon fossa and
osteosynthesis of the olecranon using tension band. The second day
after surgery the patient began ROM and was integrated in a specific
rehabilitation program. At 9 month the tension band has been surgically
removed and he began a regular training program once the wound close.
This case report suggests that a tip of the olecranon fracture must be
taken in consideration as differential diagnosis in professional
throwing athletes and not to be overlooked. It also suggests that
olecranon osteotomy with excision of the fragments can be a viable
surgical option.
Key
words:olecranon, stress fracture, throwing athlete, osteotomy
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