title: Effect of surgical delay on perioperative complications and need for open reduction in supracondylar humerus fractures in children.
abstract: This retrospective study examined whether a delay of greater than 12 hours is associated with an increased risk of perioperative complications in the operative treatment of supracondylar humerus fractures in children. Of 150 consecutive children with supracondylar fractures, 50 underwent surgery in less than 12 hours and 100 underwent surgery greater than 12 hours after injury. There was no significant difference between groups in rate of open reduction (P = 0.55), pin tract infection (P = 1.0), iatrogenic nerve injury (P = 1.0), vascular complication (P = 0.33), or compartment syndrome (P = 1.0), including when Gartland type III fractures were analyzed independently. There was no iatrogenic nerve injury, no compartment syndrome, and one pin tract infection in 150 patients. The study confirms previous retrospective studies finding no significant difference in perioperative complications or rate of open reduction in children undergoing early versus delayed surgical treatment of supracondylar humerus fractures.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA.
authors.forename: Neeraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kay
authors.forename: Kellie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leitch
authors.forename: J Dominic
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Femino
authors.forename: Vernon T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Tolo
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Skaggs
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome