Paediatric forearm fractures: functional outcome of conservative treatment.
BACKGROUND
Forearm fractures are common in the paediatric age group. Closed reduction and casting are the primary means of treatment in over 90% of these fractures. Resultant deformities are usually a product of indirect trauma involving angular loading combined with rotational deformity and fragment displacement.


METHODS
Retrospectively, 48 patients aged between 4 to 12 years with forearm fractures, were treated conservatively with closed reduction and a cast during a 2-year period. Functional outcomes were measured in terms of pronation and supination.


RESULTS
All fractures united before the final visit. Most forearm bone fractures were complete fractures at the mid shaft. Eighty-six percent of the patients had excellent functional outcomes and none had poor outcomes. There were significantly reduced angles of deformities before and after treatment (p < 0.05). Radiographically, in the frontal plane, 57.1% of radius and 73.9% of ulnar fractures achieved perfect reduction (i.e. a degree of deformity of less than 5 degrees). However, in the lateral plane, there were fewer perfect reductions for the radius and ulna, at 14.6% and 54.3%, respectively. All except for one patient were satisfied with the outcomes. The level of fracture did not influence the outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Conservative treatment is still an acceptable form of treatment especially for stable forearm fractures in children achieving excellent outcomes (Tab. 1, Fig. 7, Ref. 20).
Tarmuzi
Nazari Ahmad
NA
Department of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Jalan Yaakob Latiff, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Abdullah
Shalimar
S
Osman
Zulkiflee
Z
Das
Srijit
S
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D014458:Ulna Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*