Displaced supracondylar humeral fractures; treatment among children: crossed versus lateral pinning

ABSTRACT

To compare outcome of patients with supracondylar fractures of humerus treated by cross k wires and lateral entry k wires in children. Randomized controlled trial study. January 2012 to December 2012 at Department of Orthopedics, Nawaz Sharif Social Security hospital, Lahore. Two hundred patients, meeting the selection criteria were identified. These patients were divided into group A and group B randomly. In group A cross k wire fixation and in group B lateral entry k wire fixation was performed. Loss of reduction was assessed and recorded in the immediate postoperative period and three weeks later at the time of removal of k wires. Range of motion of the elbow, in the form of excellent outcome was assessed at the end of 12 weeks postoperatively. A total of 200 patients were included in the study. Loss of reduction was found in thirty patients [30%] in group A and in forty one patients [41%] in group B. In group A, seventy two patients [72%] had excellent outcome while twenty eight patients [28%] did not gain the desired range of motion at elbow. In group B, sixty five patients [65%] had excellent outcome while in thirty five patients [35%], the desired range of motion at elbow was not achieved. No neurological injury occurred with both configurations. Lateral entry k wire fixation is as effective as cross k wire in the treatment of displaced supracondylerfracture of humerus in children