BACKGROUND Supracondylar fractures of the humerus are the most common type of elbow fracture in children. Of all complications associated with supracondylar fractures, nerve injury ranks highest, although reports of the incidence of specific neurapraxia vary. This meta-analysis aims primarily to determine the risk of traumatic neurapraxia in extension-type supracondylar fractures as compared wi...

Infectious complications of closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of supracondylar humerus fractures are exceedingly rare. Although postoperative Pseudomonas infection is a feared complication associated with noncompliance and a wet cast, there are no reports in the literature of this occurring. We present the devastating complication of a pediatric patient who developed Pseudomonas aerugin...

Cubitus varus is commonest complication of paediatric supracondylar humerus fracture. These deformities are most commonly result of malunion, however avascular necrosis of trochlea or growth arrest of medial physis may also cause the deformity. Cubitus varus mostly presents as cosmetic deformity but it may also cause posterolateral instability, increased risk of secondary fractures, tardy ulna ...

Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL) of the B cell type is uncommon, and extranodal presentation is even rarer. It is difficult to suspect this diagnosis without clinically obvious lymph nodal mass or bone marrow involvement. A 3-year-old girl presented with progressive pain and swelling of the right knee joint of 3 months duration. Radiograph revealed expansile lytic lesion at the supracondylar area of...

Between January 1995 and December 2000, 112 children with a closed displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus without vascular deficit, were managed by elevated, straight-arm traction for a mean of 22 days. The final outcome was assessed using clinical (flexion-extension arc, carrying angle and residual rotational deformity) and radiographic (metaphyseal-diaphyseal angle and humerocapitell...

Percutaneous pinning after closed reduction is commonly used to treat supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children. Minor pin tract infections frequently occur. The aim of this study was to prevent pin tract infections using a rubber stopper to reduce irritation of the skin against the Kirschner (K) wire following percutaneous pinning. Between July 2011 and June 2012, seventeen children w...

Hybrid thin wire external fixation is an effective, minimally invasive treatment for the stabilization of periarticular, supracondylar, and pilon fractures. The extent of bone and soft-tissue loss, high risk of infection, and further damage to the soft tissues precludes open reduction and internal fixation as a safe treatment method. External fixation preserves the soft-tissue envelope with min...

The orthopaedic service in Tunisia was opened in 1964 with 100 beds for a population of some five million people. Referrals included patients with Volkmann’s ischaemic contracture or with gangrene of the hand following supracondylar fracture of the humerus treated with the elbow in acute fiexion. It was thus incumbent upon us to develop a reliable method of treatment which would avoid these tra...

We reviewed 26 patients who had had internal fixation of an open intra-articular supracondylar fracture of the humerus. All operations were performed using a posterior approach, 13 with a triceps split and 13 with an olecranon osteotomy. The outcome was assessed by means of the Mayo Elbow score, the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score and the SF-36 Physical Function score. Pat...

A supracondylar fracture occurred in a 48-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis and a total knee arthroplasty. The Rush pin technique required minimal surgical exposure and caused little disruption of surrounding soft tissue and blood supply. Soft tissues preserved inherent stability, allowing early range of motion and partial weight-bearing. Follow-up evaluation seven years later demonstrat...