What is the definition of supracondylar fracture?
A supracondylar fracture occurs through the thin part of the distal humerus above the level of the growth plate. Supracondylar fractures are initially divided into two types, depending on the direction of displacement of the distal fragment: Flexion-type (rare) – distal fragment is displaced anteriorly.
What is a Intercondylar fracture?
Intercondylar fractures of the distal humerus in adults are difficult management problems on account of the complex anatomy of the elbow, small sized fracture fragments and the limited amount of sub-chondral bone, which is often osteopenic.
What is extension type supracondylar fracture?
Extension type supracondylar fractures typically occur as a result of a fall on a hyper-extended elbow. When this occurs, the olecranon acts as a fulcrum after engaging in the olecranon fossa. The humerus fractures anteriorly initially and then posteriorly.
What is a flexion-type fracture?
Flexion-type SHF occurs mainly by directly falling on the elbow rather than falling on an outstretched hand [4]. Treatment of flexion-type fractures can be either closed reduction and casting, closed reduction and percutaneous pinning, or open reduction and pinning depending on the degree of displacement [4,5].
Do supracondylar fractures require surgery?
Supracondylar fractures are the most common type of upper arm injury in children. They are frequently caused by a fall on an outstretched elbow or a direct blow to the elbow. These fractures are relatively rare in adults. Surgery isn’t always required.
Is supracondylar fracture an emergency?
Displaced supracondylar fractures have been traditionally treated as surgical emergencies due to the risk of neurovascular complications or the belief that open reduction instead of closed reduction will be needed if surgery is delayed.
What nerve is affected in supracondylar fracture?
Supracondylar fractures can be significant injuries with a reported incidence of associated nerve injuries between 11% and 15%. Posteromedially displaced fractures are more likely to have an associated neurological injury;10 most commonly the radial nerve is affected.
What is a capitellum fracture?
Capitellum Fractures are traumatic intra-articular elbow injuries involving the distal humerus at the capitellum.
How long does supracondylar fracture take to heal?
Recovery time for this injury typically includes three to four weeks in a long arm cast, after which we will remove the cast and take a new x-ray. If your child had surgery, we will remove the pins in the office at your three to four week clinic visit.
How do you reduce flexion type supracondylar fracture?
Treatment of flexion-type supracondylar humeral fractures in children in the prone position could be considered as a treatment option. Putting the elbow firmly on an arm board and rotating the C-arm to obtain proper anteroposterior and lateral radiographs facilitated closed reduction and pinning.
How long does a supracondylar fracture take to heal?
Recovery time for this injury typically includes three to four weeks in a long arm cast, after which we will remove the cast and take a new x-ray.
Is a supracondylar fracture painful?
Symptoms of a supracondylar fracture sudden intense pain in the elbow and forearm. a snap or pop at time of injury. swelling around the elbow. numbness in the hand.
How to treat a supracondylar fracture in a child?
Introduction Overview supracondylar fractures are one of the most common traumatic fractures see in children and most commonly occur in children 5-7 years of age from a fall on an outstretched hand treatment is usually closed reduction and percutanous pinning (CRPP), with the urgency depending on whether the hand remains perfused or not.
When to undergo CRPP for supracondylar humerus fractures?
As a rule, minimally displaced extension-type supracondylar humerus fractures in which the capitellum is posterior to a line drawn from the anterior humeral line indicates unacceptable extension and therefore should be undergo a CRPP (Figure 2).
What kind of injury is a supracondylar humerus fracture?
Fractures of the supracondylar humerus are first classified as either flexion or extension injuries. A flexion supracondylar humerus fracture is when the distal fracture is either flexed, or displaced anteriorly, to the proximal shaft of the humerus. More common are the extension-type supracondylar humerus fractures.
What kind of surgery is used for oriff / CRPP?
ORIFF/CRPP—surgical and non-surgical approaches to resetting bones. Depending on the nature of the fracture, the bones may be repositioned surgically or without surgery. Open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) involves a surgical approach to “reducing” or resetting the bones. This procedure requires general anesthesia…