The surgical management of severely displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus in childhood
Ogunlade, S.O.; Alonge, T.O.; Omololu, A.B.; Salawu, S.A.
Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal 11(4): 258-261
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 1117-1936 PMID: 15627152 Document Number: 584214
A total of 28 children with severely displaced supracondylar fractures of the humerus were operated between January 1997 and December 2001 using the posterior approach raising a tongue of triceps and stabilisation of the fractures with two crossed Kirschner wires. All the supracondylar humeral fractures were extension type. The mean age was 6.9 years with male/female ratio 1.5:1. Fall at home accounted for 85.7% of the cases while 67.9% presented with injury to the left elbow. In 92.9% of the children the triceps muscle power was grade 5, 71.4% could flex the elbow joint beyond 120 angle and only 10.7% had 15 degrees of extension lag at the elbow joint at six months. All had within normal carrying angle with 64.3% having carrying angle between 0 degrees - 10 degrees. The scar was cosmetically acceptable in 27 patients (96.4% ) at six-months.