Case report reveals abnormal sigmoid notch contour in a young boy’s fracture, suggesting better evaluation is needed.
No definitive treatment guidelines exist for pediatric olecranon fractures. We describe a 14-year-old boy who sustained an olecranon fracture after a bicycle fall. Radiographs and computed tomography showed <2 mm of displacement and a step-off, findings indicating conservative care. However, the greater sigmoid notch (GSN) contour appeared abnormal, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed marked disruption. Surgical treatment was performed to restore the GSN arc. At 2 years, the patient had full, painless motion and symmetric olecranon morphology. Even in patients with <2 mm of displacement and minimal step-off, greater disruption of the sigmoid notch contour may occur. Thus, treatment planning should include careful evaluation of the GSN contour.
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Kim et al. (2026) studied this question.
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