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This is a Study to Find Out Whether Surgery Using a Metal Plate to Fix a Broken Elbow in Older Adults Leads to Better Recovery and Arm Function Compared to Non-surgical Treatment

NCT07400692 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 84

Last updated 2026-02-10

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This study takes place in one hospital and uses a random method to divide patients into groups. It looks at the best way to treat a broken elbow (specifically, a displaced olecranon fracture) in older adults who don't use their arms heavily. There are 84 patients in total, with 42 people in each group

Conditions

  • Olecranon Fracture

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Open reduction and plate osteosynthesis

A cut is made along the back of the elbow to reach the broken bone. The surgeon carefully moves tissues aside and protects nearby nerves. The broken bone is cleaned, realigned, and held in place with a special metal plate and screws. This helps support the bone, especially in older patients with fragile bones. The surgeon checks the placement using live X-ray and moves the arm to ensure stability. The area is then closed with stitches, bandaged, and sometimes supported with a light splint. Recovery starts early, with gentle exercises to regain movement while protecting the repair.

OTHER

Conservative treatment with early mobilisation

Conservativel treatment usually involves wearing a sling or light support for about two weeks to manage pain. After that, the patient begins gentle, supervised arm movements to prevent stiffness and muscle loss. As the pain improves, exercises become more active and focused on regaining strength. The goal is to let the bone heal while keeping the elbow working well.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Davide Previtali, MD · EOC

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-02-03
Primary Completion
2030-02-03
Completion
2030-02-03

Countries

  • Switzerland

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07400692 on ClinicalTrials.gov