Supracondylar Fractures of the Humerus in Children Treated by Closed Reduction and Percutaneous Pinning

During the period from 1973 to 1978, 38 children with displaced supracondylar fractures of the humerus were treated at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia by closed reduction and percutaneous pin fixation. The technical details of the procedure include (1) reduction under general anesthesia with adequate relaxation; (2) insertion of crossed pins from the medial and lateral side with the elbow in acute flexion; (3) and intraoperative clinical and roentgenographic examination of the pinned fracture with the elbow in extension to determine the adequacy of the reduction, with particular attention to the carrying angle. By Flynn's criteria acceptable results were obtained in 19 of the 25 patients studied. Three results were unacceptable due to cubitus varus of 2 degrees, 5 degrees, and 10 degrees, respectively, and three to loss of flexion. Although rotational malalignment occurred in 19 patients, as manifested by a change in shoulder rotation, in no patient was it clinically significant, either cosmetically or functionally. There were no neurologic or vascular complications from the treatment. This is a safe and reliable technique for obtaining and maintaining an excellent reduction in this difficult fracture while preserving vascular function.