Long-Term Outcomes after Colton Type I and II Fractures of the Olecranon

It is unclear if the outcomes differ in different subtypes of olecranon fractures.

Evaluate the outcomes of different Colton types of olecranon fractures, and if outcomes differ in dominant and non-dominant arms and in men and women.

We evaluated primary journals and radiographs in 40 men and 55 women with isolated olecranon fractures and classified fractures according to Colton. Mean 19 years after fracture event, we re-examined subjective, clinical and radiographic outcomes in the former patients, using the uninjured arms as controls.

89% of patients with Colton type I fractures reported at follow-up no subjective differences between the elbows, 84% with type II oblique/transverse fractures and 84% with type II comminuted fractures (p=0.91). The uninjured to former fractured arm differences in elbow range of motion and strength were no different in the 3 fracture types, the proportions of individuals with radiographic elbow degenerative changes were greater in type II than in type I factures (p<0.001), and there were no differences between the proportions of individuals with reduced joint space in the 3 groups (p=0.40). The outcomes were no different if the fractures had occurred in the dominant or non-dominant arms (p=0.43), or in men or women (p=0.43).

There were no different outcomes after Colton type I, type II oblique/transverse or type II comminuted fractures, no different outcomes between fractures in dominant or non-dominant arms and no different outcomes in men and women.