Open or closed pinning for distal humerus fractures in children?

• Published in: Swiss surgery Vol. 9; no. 2; p. 76
• Main Authors: de Buys Roessingh, A S, Reinberg, O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 2003
• Subjects: Adolescent; Bone Nails; Child; Child, Preschool; Elbow Joint - diagnostic imaging; Elbow Joint - injuries; Elbow Joint - surgery; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Fracture Fixation, Internal - methods; Fracture Healing - physiology; Humans; Humeral Fractures - diagnostic imaging; Humeral Fractures - surgery; Infant; Male; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures - methods; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); Postoperative Complications - diagnostic imaging; Radiography; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 1023-9332
• DOI: 10.1024/1023-9332.9.2.76

In children, the choice between percutaneous pinning (PP) and open pinning fixation (OPF) for the surgical treatment of fractures of the distal humerus remains controversial, especially the PP method for internal humeral condylar (IHC) fractures. Eighty fractures of the distal humerus in children were treated surgically in our hospital over a ten year period. 47% (n = 38) were supracondylar (SC), 20% (n = 16) comminuted (COM), 18% (n = 14) internal humeral condylar (IHC), and 15% (n = 12) lateral humeral condylar (LHC). We used PP, OPF and three times osteosynthesis with screws. In comparison to OPF, PP reduced the length of hospitalization in SC fractures (2.8 versus 6.1 days) and IHC fractures (2.4 versus five days). It reduced the risk of extension deficiency (11.1% versus 15%) and of cubitus valgus (0% versus 20%) in SC fractures, and of cubitus varus in IHC fractures (0% versus 11.1%). However it induced a higher rate of cubitus valgus (11.1% versus 20%) in IHC fractures, one persistent neurological motor deficiency (radial nerve) and four cases of transitional neurological involvement (ulnar nerve). PP is a good surgical method for SC and for also for IHC fractures, if performed by experienced surgeons so as to avoid neurological damage.