OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of olecranon plate and tension band in the treatment of olecranon fracture.

METHODSSixty-three patients with olecranon fracture were treated with olecranon plate and tension band. Thirty-five patients (21 male and 14 female, aged from 15 to 62 years, with an average of 48.9 years) were involved in tension band group and 28 patients (20 male and 8 female, aged from 25 to 67 years, with an average of 50.6 years)were involved in plate group. According to the Delee, JC classification in 1984, there were type 1A in 5 cases, type 1B in 8 cases, type 2 in 17 cases, type 3 in 7 cases and type 4 in 1 case in tension band group; there were type 1A in 3 cases, type 1B in 5 cases, type 2 in 6 cases, type 3 in 11 cases and type 4 in 3 cases in plate group.

RESULTSSixty-three cases were all followed up from 6 to 15 months. According to the criterion of PANG Gui-gen, the results were excellent in 20 cases, good in 7 cases, fair in 1 case and no bad in plate group; the results were excellent in 23 cases, good in 10 cases, fair in 21 case and no bad in tension band group. The therapeutic effect of two groups has no significantly statistic difference.

CONCLUSIONBoth olecranon plate and tension band are the effective treatments for olecranon fracture. The selection of two methods should depend on to the state of fracture.