Comparing Open Reduction, Internal Fixation, and Total Elbow Arthroplasty for Distal Humeral Fractures in the Elderly for Complications, Reoperations, and Clinical Outcomes: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: This study aims to provide comparing open reduction, internal fixation, and total elbow arthroplasty for distal humeral fractures in the elderly for complications, reoperations, and clinical outcomes. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this systematic review focused exclusively on full-text articles published in English between 2014 and 2024. Result: The study conducted a comprehensive review of over 100 publications sourced from reputable databases, including ScienceDirect, SagePub, and PubMed. Following an initial screening, six publications were identified as warranting more in-depth analysis. Conclusion: TEA and ORIF, for the meta-analysis-based fixing of distal humeral fractures. Regarding the flexion/extension arc, TEA yielded noticeably greater results than ORIF. Furthermore, there was a substantial difference observed in the frequencies of reoperation and elbow stiffness between the TEA and ORIF groups. Other post-operative complications and functional ratings (MEPS and DASH) did not differ significantly between the two groups, though.