Asghar Elmi MD; Alireza Rouhani MD; Ali Tabrizi MD; Rasoul Golizadeh MD; Fardin Mirzatolouei MD
Abstract
Background: Supracondylar humerus fracture is the most common elbow fracture in children and accounts for about 16% of pediatric fractures. To maintain stability in the reduced segment in medial and lateral columns is an important treatment concept. The aim of this study was to compare two methods of ...
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Background: Supracondylar humerus fracture is the most common elbow fracture in children and accounts for about 16% of pediatric fractures. To maintain stability in the reduced segment in medial and lateral columns is an important treatment concept. The aim of this study was to compare two methods of proximal distal lateral pinning with medial and lateral cross pinning.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 140 children (63 boys, 77 girls) with supracondylar humerus fracture were evaluated in a training center in Tabriz, Iran. The mean age was 5.04 years. The cases were divided into two groups (each 70 patients), matched for age, sex and type of fracture and were treated with two above methods. Complications and outcomes were copmpared.
Results: Ulnar nerve lesion in the medial and lateral cross technique was 4.3%, and none in the group done by all lateral pin technique. The need for further surgery and loss of stability was 2.9% and 1.4% respectively with no statistical difference. Pin site infection around the pins was 4.3% and 12.9% percent respectivly. Cubius varus deformity rate was 2.9% in lateral cross pinning and 4/1% in medial lateral cross pinning.
Conclusions: Proximal distal cross pinning technique for suprocondylar humerus fracture is comparable to medial and lateral cross pinning in terms of stability in maintaining a good reduction. The possibility of ulnar injury is negated in cross-lateral technique.
