CT scans performed for elbow trauma over a 2-year period were examined to identify coronoid fractures, and recurring patterns were sought. After patterns were identified, the scans were reviewed by 3 observers to determine inter- and intra-observer reliability.
Of 373 CT scans, 52 identified coronoid fractures were appropriate for review. Five common patterns were identified, including a tip type, mid-transverse type, basal type, anteromedial oblique fractures, and an anterolateral oblique type fracture that has not been well described previously. Inter- and intra-observer reliability ranged from good to very good in this series.
In this series, we describe anatomic patterns by which coronoid fractures break. Five common patterns were noted: a 鈥渢ip鈥?type fracture seen in 29%of the cases; a 鈥渕id-transverse鈥?type fracture (24%); a 鈥渂asal鈥?type fracture (23); and 2 鈥渙blique鈥?type fracture patterns (24%), including an 鈥渁nteromedial鈥?type fracture (17%) and an 鈥渁nterolateral鈥?type (7%). There was a high rate of intra- and inter-observer reliability between and within 3 observers.