An unusual case of an isolated capitellar fracture of the right elbow in a child: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Although elbow fractures have a high incidence in the pediatric population, fractures of the capitellum are almost exclusively observed in individuals older than 12 years of age. Due to their rarity in children, reports with large numbers of cases are lacking in the literature and the surgical treatment options are poorly defined.


METHODS
We present the case of an 11-year-old Portuguese girl with a displaced fracture of the capitellum of the right elbow, a typical Hahn-Steinthal or Type 1 fracture, which was followed for one year. The treatment and outcome of this fracture are described. Our patient underwent an open reduction and internal fixation with two cannulated screws. There were no complications and normal elbow function was recovered.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors believe that cannulated screw fixation is a reliable method of treatment for Type 1 capitellar fracture in children because it enables good interfragmentary compression, early mobilization, faster functional elbow recovery and implant removal is rarely necessary.
Department of Orthopedics, Hospital Central do Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. jagp1281@hotmail.com.
José António
JA
Gonçalves Pestana
Ana Patrícia
AP
Macedo França
António Pedro Tomás
AP
Cunha Freitas
Bruno Tertuliano
BT
Jales
Cristina
C
Alves
Fabíola
F
Ferreira
Manuel Correia
MC
Ramos
Mário
M
Pereira