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Supracondylar Fractures of the Humerus in Children

1987; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 219; Issue: &NA; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/00003086-198706000-00026

1528-1132

David D. Aronson, Bruce I. Prager,

Shoulder Injury and Treatment

Complications in the treatment of displaced supracondylar fractures of the humcrus (DSFH), particularly cubitus varus, are a persistent problem. A prospective study was conducted on 20 children with DSFH, using a modified technique to reduce and pin the fracture. All fractures were treated with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning. After the fracture was internally fixed, intraoperative an-teroposterior roentogenograms of each distal humerus were compared, using Baumann's angle. The reduction was accepted if Baumann's angle on the fractured extremity was within 4° of that on the normal side. If the angles were not within 4°, the closed reduction and percutaneous pinning was repeated. In this prospective series, all patients had a reduction to within 4° of the normal side before they left the operating room. Three weeks after percutaneous pinning, the pins were removed and range of motion was begun. All patients returned for clinical and roentgenographic examination. With an average follow-up period of 17.2 months, all patients had excellent or good results. No patient developed cubitus varus deformity. Strict adherence to the guidelines of the protocol prevented cubitus varus deformity in this series of children with DSFH.