Pre-bent elastic stable intramedullary nail fixation for distal radial shaft fractures in children.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the functional and radiographic outcomes of pre-bent elastic stable intramedullary nail in treatment of distal radial shaft fractures in children.


METHODS
From January 2006 to December 2008, 18 children with distal radial shaft fracture were treated by close reduction and internal fixation with a pre-bent elastic stable intramedullary nail. The age range was from 5 years to 15 years, with an average of 9 years and 8 months. The minimum follow-up was 12 months.


RESULTS
All fractures maintained good alignment postoperatively, and 94.4% (17/18) of the patients regained a full range of rotation of the forearm. One patient has limitation of rotation to less than 10°, this had improved by final follow-up. Complications included soft tissue irritation at the site of nail insertion in one patient and transient scar hypersensitivity in another.


CONCLUSIONS
Fixation with a pre-bent elastic stable intramedullary nail is an effective, safe and convenient method for treating distal radial shaft fractures in children.
Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Medical School of Shanghai, Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
Yi-hua
YH
Ge
Zhi-gang
ZG
Wang
Hai-qing
HQ
Cai
Jie
J
Yang
Yun-lan
YL
Xu
Yu-chan
YC
Li
Yu-chen
YC
Zhang
Bo-chang
BC
Chen
D000293:Adolescent; D001858:Bone Nails; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016896:Treatment Outcome