Fracture and nonunion of the olecranon in total elbow arthroplasty.

Background: While fracture and nonunion of the olecranon have been reported in patients undergoing total elbow arthroplasty, little information exists about the management and outcome of these cases.

Methods: Twenty-four patients (twenty-five elbows) were studied; fifteen (sixteen elbows) with rheumatoid arthritis and nine with post-traumatic elbow disorders. Twenty-three of the twenty-five elbows presented with an olecranon fracture or nonunion prior to the reported arthroplasty.