Timing of surgical treatment for type III supracondylar humerus fractures in pediatric patients.
BACKGROUND
Type III supracondylar humeral fracture is a common cause of emergency hospitalization among children requiring surgical treatment. The configuration of the internal fixation material, surgical technique, and optimal timing of surgery (TS) have always been popular topics of debate. The TS in uncomplicated cases is usually determined by surgeons.


METHODS
In this study, we prospectively followed children with type III supracondylar fractures. We aimed to clarify the effects of injury side, gender, and post-injury delay on switching to open surgery and the ease of the reduction.


RESULTS
Based on our results, the probability of switching to open surgery increased by a factor of 4 every 5 h beginning 15 h after injury. Open surgery was necessary after 32 h.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduction became technically more difficult as TS increased.
Yildirim
Ahmet Ozgur
AO
Clinics of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, aoyildirimmd@yahoo.com.
Unal
Vuslat Sema
VS
Oken
Ozdamar Fuad
OF
Gulcek
Murat
M
Ozsular
Metin
M
Ucaner
Ahmet
A