Modern radial head prostheses: a systematic review

Introduction. The radial head is one of the main stabilizing structures of the elbow joint, and radial head arthroplasty is becoming one of the necessary measures for elbow stabilization in cases when osteosynthesis of the radial head is not feasible or is expected to lead to an unsatisfactory outcome. Objective – based on the literature, to determine the significance, unresolved issues, and prospects of using a radial head prosthesis in the treatment of its fractures in adult patients. Material. Electronic resources PubMed, eLIBRARY, and CyberLeninka were used to search for literature data. The analysis included studies on the treatment of radial head fractures in patients over 18 years of age, regardless of sex. When reviewing the literature, special attention was paid to publications on radial head arthroplasty, types of implants, and long-term outcomes of surgical treatment. Results. In the analysis of studies devoted to radial head arthroplasty for its fractures, most reports showed no statistically significant differences between monopolar and bipolar implants. However, less favorable clinical and radiographic outcomes were observed in patients with short-stem implants. Implants with a loose-fit fixation in the radial canal have shown promising results. Conclusion. Radial head arthroplasty is a justified treatment of choice for unreconstructable fractures. The key role is played by the design features of the implant (stem length and type), rather than its polarity.