title: Capitellar fractures in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Capitellar fractures are extremely rare. The Polish literature does not provide any reports on the treatment of these fractures. The aim of this paper is to present our treatment results and to compare them with reports from other authors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated a group of 9 patients aged 7-17 years (mean age 14 years). One patient (11%) had sustained a non-displaced fracture, while 8 (89%) had sustained fractures with more than 2 mm displacement. According to the type of fracture, one patient was treated conservatively and the others underwent surgical treatment. In the children who were operated on, the humeral capitulum was fixed with a bioabsorbable pin in one patient and with K-wires in seven patients. Objective elbow function was evaluated using the Mayo Elbow Score (MES). Subjective elbow function was evaluated by patients on the basis of the Oxford Elbow Score (OES).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. Non-displaced capitellar fractures should be treated conservatively. 2. Fractures with more than 2 mm displacement should be reduced surgically with percutaneous fixation with K-wires.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Trauma Department, University Children's Hospital of Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sułko
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Trauma Department, University Children's Hospital of Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oberc
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001864:Bone Wires; D002648:Child; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome