title: Supracondylar elbow fractures with impaction of the medial condyle in children.
abstract: We reviewed the cases of 13 children with supracondylar elbow fractures with impaction of the medial wall. The displacement was underestimated in two patients and treated as a minimally displaced fracture by simple immobilization without reduction, resulting in a cubitus varus deformity. In one patient, the correct diagnosis was made, but treatment by reduction was refused by the parents. A loss of carrying angle of 10 degrees resulted from this. Two patients referred for treatment of cubitus varus were treated elsewhere for the initial injury: one by reduction and plaster cast immobilization and the other by simple immobilization without reduction. Two children with a supracondylar fracture with buckling of the medial condyle without prominent deformity were not reduced and showed no deformity at follow-up. Six children with collapse of the medial condyle, treated by closed reduction and percutaneous pinning, all had a normal carrying angle at follow-up. We believe that this method is safe to prevent varus angulation.
authors.affiliation: V.U.B., University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Boeck
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Smet
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Penders
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Rydt
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006811:Humerus / Q000473:pathology; D007103:Immobilization / Q000009:adverse effects; D007223:Infant; D016916:Joint Deformities, Acquired / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D000092464:Elbow Injuries