What is a supracondylar fracture of the humerus?
What is a supracondylar fracture of the humerus?
Your child’s humerus is fractured (broken) near the elbow area, just above the joint. This is called a supracondylar (supra CON dy ler) humerus fracture. It is the most common type of elbow fracture and happens most often to children younger than 8 years old.
What is the commonest complication of supracondylar fracture of humerus?
Pin-site irritation and superficial infections are the most common complications seen. Cubitus varus remains another common complication, even with the use of closed reduction and pinning for management of most displaced fractures.
Where is a supracondylar humerus fracture located?
Overview. A supracondylar fracture is an injury to the humerus, or upper arm bone, at its narrowest point, just above the elbow. Supracondylar fractures are the most common type of upper arm injury in children.
Is a supracondylar fracture an emergency?
Displaced supracondylar fractures have been traditionally treated as surgical emergencies due to the risk of neurovascular complications or the belief that open reduction instead of closed reduction will be needed if surgery is delayed.
How do you treat a supracondylar fracture?
A supracondylar fracture is typically treated by putting a splint or cast around your elbow and then using a sling to keep it in position. Other treatments include ice and medications to relieve pain and swelling. Surgical or nonsurgical.
What are the complications of supracondylar fracture?
Complications following these fractures are infection, loss of reduction, non-union, cubitus varus or valgus and neurovascular lesions [4]. The incidence of vascular complications associated with supracondylar fractures ranges from 3.2 to 14.3% [5], nerve injuries are reported with a relative incidence of 12–20% [6].
What does supracondylar mean?
Medical Definition of supracondylar : of, relating to, affecting, or being the part of a bone situated above a condyle supracondylar osteotomy a supracondylar fracture of the humerus.
How long does it take to heal a broken humerus?
Generally recovery takes at least one year but union is expected at 6-8 weeks. Adequate treatment of those at risk of osteoporosis. It is defined as a posterolateral humeral head compression fracture and can occur following anterior shoulder dislocation. It occurs in 35-40% of anterior dislocations and up to 80% of recurrent dislocations.
How painful is a broken humerus?
A broken upper arm (fractured humerus) can be extremely painful, so much so that you may feel sick, dizzy or faint. Other symptoms of a broken upper arm are: You will be unable to use your arm. Your elbow or upper arm may be swollen. Your elbow or upper arm may bruise. If it is a very severe break, your arm may be a different shape.
What causes a spiral fracture of the humerus?
Anything that puts a lot of twisting stress or force on a long bone can cause a spiral fracture. But a few specific motions, activities, and circumstances tend to be associated with the injury.
What are the symptoms of a femur fracture?
Thigh pain — Symptom Checker
