title: Internal Fixation With Absorbable Rods for the Treatment of Displaced Radial Neck Fractures in Children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of radial neck fractures with complete displacement or severe displacement and an angle of >30 degrees is controversial. The currently used methods, including the Metaizeau technique, are associated with drawbacks such as imperfect reduction, epiphyseal damage, and delayed functional recovery. To overcome these drawbacks, we used absorbable rod fixation followed by early functional training for the treatment of displaced radial neck fractures in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 68 patients (age, 4 to 12 y; average, 8.4 y; average angle, 58 degrees; average displacement, 53%) with radial neck fractures with Salter-Harris grades II to IV underwent lateral elbow open reduction and absorbable rod fixation. At 3 weeks postoperatively, the patients' plaster casts were removed, and functional training was started.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anatomic reduction was achieved in all patients. We followed-up 68 patients for 6 months to 4 years (average, 41 mo). No cases of radial nerve injury, radial bone necrosis, myositis ossificans, and postoperative infection were observed. The functional recovery was "excellent" in 43 patients, "good" in 13 patients, "average" in 12 patients, and "bad" in 0 patients, according to the Morrey evaluation standard.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Open reduction with absorbable rod fixation for the treatment of displaced radial neck fractures in children was feasible and was a choice in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic II.
authors.affiliation: *Department II of Orthopaedics, Stem Cell Biology and Therapy Laboratory, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University †Lab Medicine of Maternity and Child Care Hospital of Yubei District, Lab Medicine of the first affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Yuxi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jiaqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Zhongliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wenquan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Guoxin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nan
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011826:Radial Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D011859:Radiography; D011884:Radius / Q000601:surgery; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016896:Treatment Outcome