Osteosynthesis for nonunion of the lateral humeral condyle.

The treatment of established nonunion of the lateral humeral condyle is controversial. Twenty patients who had osteosynthesis of the nonunion were evaluated to clarify the changes in range of motion and the factors influencing those changes. The average age of the patients at surgery was 13.6 years (range, 6-25 years). The average duration of followup was 8.8 years. Outcome was rated as excellent in seven patients and good in 13 patients according to the score of Broberg and Morrey. In five of the 20 patients, the preoperative range of motion was limited and their motion improved an average of 35 degrees as a result of surgery. In the remaining 15 patients, the range of motion did not change or was reduced an average of 19 degrees postoperatively. Of the 15 patients, 11 had Milch Type II injuries and four had Milch Type I injuries. In the 11 patients with Milch Type II injuries, the loss of range of motion postoperatively averaged 13 degrees. However, in the four patients with Milch Type I injuries, loss of range of motion postoperatively averaged 21 degrees. Complications such as delayed union, nonunion, or infection occurred in five patients. The main factors influencing the results of osteosynthesis are the age of the patient, the preoperative symptoms, and the postoperative complications.

Long-standing nonunion of fractures of the lateral humeral condyle.

BACKGROUND: Patients with nonunion of a fracture of the lateral humeral condyle often have pain, instability, or progressive cubitus valgus deformity with tardy ulnar nerve palsy. However, some patients have minimal or no symptoms or disabilities. We evaluated patients with long-standing established nonunion of the lateral humeral condyle to correlate the clinical long-term outcome of this condition with the original fracture type. METHODS: Nineteen elbows in eighteen patients who were at least twenty years of age were evaluated. Fourteen patients were male, and four were female. The average age at presentation was 42.5 years. The average interval from the injury to the presentation of the symptoms of the nonunion was thirty-seven years. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of the size of the fragment and the location of the fracture line. Group 1 included nine elbows with nonunion resulting from a Milch Type-I injury, and Group 2 included ten elbows with a nonunion resulting from a Milch Type-II injury. Evaluations were performed with use of radiographic examination, clinical assessment, and calculation of the Broberg and Morrey score. RESULTS: Symptoms were seen more frequently in Group 1 than in Group 2. The range of flexion in Group 1 (range, 60 degrees to 145 degrees; average, 99 degrees) was more restricted than that in Group 2 (range, 100 degrees to 150 degrees; average, 129 degrees) (p = 0.0078). The functional score in Group 2 was significantly higher than that in Group 1 (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Disabling symptoms only rarely developed in Group-2 patients. Occasionally, however, these patients do present with clinically detectable dysfunction of the ulnar nerve. In contrast, pain, instability, and loss of range of motion as well as ulnar nerve dysfunction developed in Group 1. For this reason we think that a nonunion of a Milch Type-I fracture should be treated as soon as possible after injury, preferably before the patient reaches skeletal maturity.