‘Excellent’ outcomes seen in children with lateral condyle humerus fractures regardless of complications

Issue: November 2018

ORLANDO, Fla. — Children with lateral condyle humerus fractures had ‘excellent’ functional outcomes at the early and 1-year follow-up regardless of complications seen postoperatively, according to a presenter at the Orthopaedic Trauma Association Annual Meeting.

“Overall the patients supported excellent functional outcomes regardless of fracture type when fracture displacement was used to determine treatment,” Natalya Sarkisova, BS, said during her presentation. “This prospective series validates the use of fracture displacement as a determinant of treatment modality in children with lateral condyle humerus fractures.”

Sarkisova and colleagues a prospective of 55 patients with a mean age of 5.7 years with lateral condyle humerus fractures. Investigators used fracture displacement to classify fractures. A long arm cast was used in 17 Type I fractures, closed reduction and percutaneous pinning in eight Type II fractures and open reduction and percutaneous pinning in 30 Type III fractures. At 6 to 12 weeks and at the 1-year follow-up, functional outcomes were assessed with the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI).

Investigators noted complications were seen in eight of 55 patients which included delayed union and superficial pin site infection. Based on the fracture type, delayed union was seen in one Type I fracture, one Type II fracture and three Type III fractures. At 6 to 12 weeks, the mean PODCI global functioning was 90 and 95 at the 1-year follow-up. When the study population was compared with normative data at the 1-year follow-up, investigators did not see a significant difference across all the PODCI subdomains. – by Monica Jaramillo

Reference:

Nazareth A, et al. Paper 84. Presented at: Orthopaedic Trauma Association Annual Meeting; Oct. 18-20, 2018; Orlando, Florida.

Disclosure: Sarkisova reports no relevant financial disclosures.