Our Treatment for Impending Severe Malunion of the Upper Limb in Adolescence

• Published in: Orthopedics & Traumatology Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 871 - 873
• Main Authors: Fukushima, Kaori, Maki, Shinya, Hamasato, Yujirou, Fukumura, Kenji, Babaguchi, Yasuhiro, Taniguchi, Yoshiyasu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: West-Japanese Society of Orthopedics & Traumatology 1997
• Subjects: callus; fracture in adolescence; malunion
• ISSN: 0037-1033; 1349-4333
• DOI: 10.5035/nishiseisai.46.871

We report a new operative method for impending severe malunion of the upper limb in adolescence. Patients were six males ranging in age from 4 to 22 years (average; 12.8 years). There were two supracondyle fractures of the humerus, epiphyseal injury of the distal radius, metaphyseal fracture of the distal radius, fracture of the phalangeal neck, and olecranon fracture in one case each. The interval between injury and operation ranged from 14 to 70 days (average; 32 days). Our operative methods were composed of excision of the callus, reposition of the fracture fragments and osteosynthesis. Bone union was obtained in all cases, and there were no complications. In conclusion, our operative method seems to provide a favorable treatment for impending malunion of the upper limb in adolescence.