A rare complication of tension band fixation of olecranon osteotomy: Distal migration of K-wire

Abstract

Tension band wiring (TBW) is one of the most commonly used fixation techniques to fix olecranon osteotomies. Hardware prominence has been the most commonly reported complication of TBW. However, distal migration of Kirschner (K)-wire after TBW fixation for olecranon osteotomy has not been reported. In this case report, we presented distal migration of K-wire detected nine months after initial surgery in a 46-year-old male patient. The patient was operated on for an intraarticular distal humerus fracture using an olecranon osteotomy. The osteotomy was fixed with TBW fixation. The patient missed routine follow-ups and presented to the outpatient clinic with a complaint of skin irritation at the elbow nine months after the surgery. On radiological examination, distal migration of one K-wire was detected. The K-wire was surgically removed without any complication. Physicians should be aware of possible complications of TBW and remove fixation after fracture union to avoid unexpected complications.

Citation: Köroğlu M, Karakaplan M, Ergen E, Eren M, Alyousef A, Özdeş HU, et al. A rare complication of tension band fixation of olecranon osteotomy: Distal migration of K-wire. Jt Dis Relat Surg 2024;35(2):439-442. doi: 10.52312/jdrs.2024.1662.

A written informed consent was obtained from patient.

Idea/concept, control/supervision: M.K., E.E, O.A.; Data collection: M.E., A.A., O.A.; Literature review: M.K., M.K., E.E., H.U.Ö., O.A.; Writing the article: M.K., M.K., E.E., M.E., A.A., H.U.Ö., O.A.; Critical review: M.K., E.E., O.A.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.