title: Recurrent supracondylar humerus fracture following prior malunion.
abstract: In this report, two patients sustained a recurrent supracondylar humerus fracture following malunion of a previous supracondylar humerus fracture. The patients were treated for their first fracture at 5 and 6 years of age, respectively. One underwent open reduction with percutaneous pinning, and the other was treated with closed reduction with casting. Both patients healed in a moderate degree of extension after the first fracture. Two years later, both sustained a second fracture of the supracondylar humerus. Both had closed reduction with percutaneous pinning and went on to heal uneventfully. We speculate that ensuing post-traumatic extension deformity may accentuate a child's tendency for elbow hyperextension. Extension malunion may place the child at increased risk for a second fracture via similar mechanisms of injury.
authors.affiliation: Riley Children's Hospital Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Noonan
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D017759:Fractures, Malunited / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence