COMPARATIVE STUDY OF OPERATIVE AND CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OF DISPLACED SUPRACONDYLAR FRACTURES OF THE HUMERUS IN CHILDREN

Abstract

This study was planned to compare between two methods ol'treatment of simple displaced supracondylar lhrctures ol' the humerus in children, either by closed reduction and posterior plaster c:rst fixation or open reduction and internal fixation using two kirsclmer wires through the posterior approach. Fifty patients, all unilateral, constituted the material of this study.

There were 35 bo)'s and 15 girls. The leli elbow was :d'lected in 29 patients and the right in 21 patients.

The age of the patients ranged !'rom 2 to 12 years with a high incidence between 5-8 years. All cases were examined clinically and radiologically.

They were of the extension type. all of them were of the grade 11.1

(completely displaced fractures).

Twenty five patients were manipul:rtecl under gerieral an:H:sthesia and immobilized in a posterior plaster cast with the elbow in the flexed 11osition.

In the other twenty live patients, under general anaesthesi:r. through the posterior approach, the li•acture was reduced under vision and lixed by two crossing kirsclrner wires and immobilized in an :tbovc-elbow plaster cast with the elbow flexed at right angle.

The functional loss of' llexion or e:--;tension of elbow and changes in the carryrng angle or both were responsible lill• the satisfactory and unsatisfactory ' results.

Limitation of flexion or extension or the elbow was present in 68% of the patients treated conservatively. and in 76% of the patients treated opt'l'atively.

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