Supracondylar fractures of the humerus in childhood: range of movement following the posterior approach to open reduction
- Resource Type
- Authors
- P.J. Briggs; M.J. Gibson; T.F. Sibly
- Source
- Injury. 22(6)
- Subject
- medicine.medical_specialty
Humeral Fractures
Time Factors
Adolescent
medicine.medical_treatment
Movement
Elbow
Range of movement
Posterior approach
Fracture Fixation, Internal
Fracture Fixation
Fracture fixation
Elbow Joint
medicine
Humans
Humerus
Child
Reduction (orthopedic surgery)
General Environmental Science
business.industry
Sequela
medicine.disease
Surgery
Casts, Surgical
medicine.anatomical_structure
Child, Preschool
Orthopedic surgery
General Earth and Planetary Sciences
business
Bone Wires
- Language
- ISSN
- 0020-1383
The posterior approach for open reduction of supracondylar fractures of the humerus has been condemned for causing decreased elbow movement. This study investigates this by comparing the range of movement in children treated by posterior open reduction and Kirschner wiring with those treated by closed reduction and immobilization. A total of 65 children with severely displaced supracondylar humeral fractures have been reviewed. There was some loss of movement in 66 per cent of the open reduction group and 42 per cent of the closed reduction group. The proportion losing more than 10 degrees of movement was the same in both groups. The difference between the two groups was due to the increased numbers in the open reduction group who lost less than 10 degrees of motion. Posterior open reduction of childhood supracondylar fractures is not associated with an important loss of elbow movement and need not be avoided on this account.