Clinical Studies on the Supracondylar Fractures of the Humerus

Supracondylar fractures of the humerus is the most common elbow fractures in children. Many papers has been published about the treatment of the supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children and prevention of both Volkmann's ischemic contractures and nerve injuries associated with these fractures, however, unfortunately it is still one of the most difficult fractures to manage. After successful reduction, the late complications of loss of elbow motion, the change in carrying angle, myositis ossificans, and progressive ulnar nerve palsy still lie ahead. For the period of 5 years from January 1975 to December 1979, 110 patients who had been treated for supracondylar fractures of the humerus at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Coilege of Medicine were studied and analyzed retrospectively and the results are summerized as follows: 1. The age of the patients varied from 1 to 26 years, the majority (80.0%) being between 4 to 11 years and the fractures were on the left side in 71.8% and males comprized 75.5%. 2. The extension type comprized 94.5%. 3. Most common complications were cubitus varus deformities. 4. Percutaneous pinning and open reduction and internal fixation elicited rare cubitus varus diformities. 5. Limitation of motion was most frequent camplication after open reduction and internal fixation. 6. All cases which showed cubitus varus deformities were initially medially displaced fractures. 7. Four median nerve injuries were associated with posterolateral displacement and one radial nerve injury was associated with posteromedial displacement. 8. Finally, with prompt and adequate treatment, there were no Volkmanns ischemic contractures seen in this study.