title: Common elbow fractures in children.
abstract: Approximately 75 percent of all fractures sustained by children occur in the upper extremities and frequently occur during a fall onto an outstretched hand. The majority of these injuries involve the wrist and forearm, but the elbow alone accounts for approximately 10 percent of all fractures in children. Elbow fractures in children are challenging because of the abundance of unossified cartilage and the high potential for limb-threatening damage to neurovascular structures. Common types of elbow fractures include supracondylar, lateral condylar, medial epicondylar, radial neck and transphyseal fractures.
authors.affiliation: Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Bassett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D013165:Splints; D000092464:Elbow Injuries