Supracondylar fracture of the humerus is the most common fracture of the elbow in children and it can also be one of the most difficult fractures to be treated.
A number of methods to manage supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children have been being practiced and the ideal one is generally agreed with prompt, accurate and anatomical reduction, performed with the least possible trauma, and it will prevent most complications.
It is essential to minimize additional trauma to the already traumatized joint and pericapsular tissues including blood vessles and nerves.
105 patients with supracondylar fracture of the humerus managed at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Busan National University from January, 1971 to June, 1976 were reviewed and the following results were obtained. `
1. The age of the patients ranged from 2 years to 14 years; the average age was 7.0 year. 70 patients were boys.
2. The left side"was involved in 62 patients; The distal fragment was displaced posterioly in 102 patients and anteriorly in 3 patients. The medial displacement in the posteriorly displaced distal fragwent was 60 patients.
3. 20 fractures were treated by open reduction and internal fixation. The indications for open reduction were failure to obtain accurate reduction after a few attempts of closed reduction in 15, an open _ fracture in 2, acute vascular embarrassment in 2, and redisplacement after open reduction in 1.
4. 15 of the 20 fractures treated by open reduction were re-examine 1 to 5 years; The results were normal elbow motion in 10, loss of extension (average 24 degree) in 5, loss of flexion in 2 and neurovascular complication in 2.
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