Treatment of Supracondylar Fracture of the Humerus in Children: by Early Closed reduction & K-Wire Fixation

Shim, Jong Sup; Oh, Won Hwan

Abstract

We treated supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children by early closed reduction and K-wires fixation using two lateral parallel K-wires for partially displaced fractures(Gartland Ib, II) and three K-wires,two lateral and one additional medial crossed K-wire for type III fractures. This study is to analyze our method for the treatment of supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children. Sixty-two fractures(4 type Ib, 20 type II and 38 type III) underwent K-wires fixation after closed reduction of the fracture from October 1994 to April 1997 were included in this study. The patients age ranged from 2 years and 2 months to 12 years and 7 months, averaging 6 years and 2 months. All the fractures were treated within 24 hours after arrival in the hospital. After general anesthesia, each fracture was reduced manually and fixed by K-wires under fluoroscopic control. Two lateral parallel K-wire were used for fixation of all type Ib and II fractures. We tried to keep the gap between two K-wires be 1 cm or more. In type III fractures, fractures were fixed by two parallel lateral K-wires and followed by one medial crossed K-wire. The K-wires were removed after averaging 3.2 weeks after operation in out patient clinic. The follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 34 months. averaging 14 months. By Flynn's functional and cosmetic criteria, 37 fractures (97.4%) among 38 type III fractures resulted in satisfactory criteria. All of the type I and II fractures (100%) resulted in satisfactory criteria. In conclusion, our decision is considered as safe and reliable option for the treatment of supracondylar fractures of the humrus in children.