We investigated whether an alternative tension band wire technique will produce greater compression and less displacement at olecranon (elbow) fracture sites compared to a standard figure of eight tension band technique. Olecranon fractures are commonly treated with tension band wiring using stainless steel wire in a figure of eight configuration. However recently published studies have raised doubts over the validity of the tension band concept proving that the standard figure of eight configuration does not provide fracture compression when the elbow is flexed. We propose an alternative tension band technique where the figure of eight is applied in a modified configuration producing greater compression across the fracture.

An artificial elbow joint was simulated using artificial forearm (ulna) and arm (humerus) bones. The design simulated the action of the muscles around the elbow joint to produce flexion and extension. There were two arms to this investigation. (1) Standard tension band wire configuration with stainless steel. (2) Modified tension band wire configuration with stainless steel. The simulated elbow was put through a range of movement and sensors measured the compression at the articular and non-articluar surfaces of the fracture. Measurements were taken for compression with different weights applied to challenge both the techniques of tension band wiring.

Measurements from the non articular surface of the fracture demonstrated greater compression with alternative tension band technique. However it was not statistically significant (ANOVA). Compression at the articular surface of the fracture exhibited statistically significant (p<0.05) greater compression with the alternative technique. Neither technique produced greater compression during flexion of the simulated elbow.

The alternative tension band wiring technique proved superior in providing greater compression over the fracture site.