BACKGROUND: With regard to the treatment of non-reconstructable radial head fractures, both the resection and the implantation of a prosthesis are considered. Various studies have shown poor results concerning the resection of the radial head with accompanying osteoligamentous injuries. Due to these experiences, different types of prosthesis have been developed. However, the majority of them were not convincing. Judet developed a type of a bipolar prosthesis which had been modeled on the anatomy of the radial head. The aim of our retrospective study consists in examining the results of the Judet prosthesis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1995 and 2007, 50 patients were treated with an arthroplasty. These were, corresponding to the classification by McKee and Jupiter, 19 type III and 31 type IV fractures. Thirty patients were available for a follow-up after 2.5 years on average. RESULTS: According to the Morrey Score, 16 very good, 7 good, 3 fair and 4 bad results could be obtained. Following the criteria of Radin and Riseborough, 17 patients achieved a good, 9 a fair and 4 a bad result. The complications which appeared were: one patient with aseptic loosening, one patient with luxation of a prosthesis, one persistent radial joint instability, three patients with heterotopic ossification and four patients with protrusion relative to the capitulum humeri.
BACKGROUND: With regard to the treatment of non-reconstructable radial head fractures, both the resection and the implantation of a prosthesis are considered. Various studies have shown poor results concerning the resection of the radial head with accompanying osteoligamentous injuries. Due to these experiences, different types of prosthesis have been developed. However, the majority of them were not convincing. Judet developed a type of a bipolar prosthesis which had been modeled on the anatomy of the radial head. The aim of our retrospective study consists in examining the results of the Judet prosthesis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1995 and 2007, 50 patients were treated with an arthroplasty. These were, corresponding to the classification by McKee and Jupiter, 19 type III and 31 type IV fractures. Thirty patients were available for a follow-up after 2.5 years on average. RESULTS: According to the Morrey Score, 16 very good, 7 good, 3 fair and 4 bad results could be obtained. Following the criteria of Radin and Riseborough, 17 patients achieved a good, 9 a fair and 4 a bad result. The complications which appeared were: one patient with aseptic loosening, one patient with luxation of a prosthesis, one persistent radial joint instability, three patients with heterotopic ossification and four patients with protrusion relative to the capitulum humeri.