[Emergency closed reduction and percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation for treatment of Gartland type II-III supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children].

Objective: To analyze the clinical effect and related risk factors of Gartland type II-III supracondylar fractures of humerus in children in the emergency closed reduction and percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation.

Methods: From January 2008 to June 2013,112 children of Gartland type II to III supracondylar humeral fractures were treated in children in emergency closed reduction and percutaneous K-wire fixation, including 72 males and 40 females with an average age of 6.2 years old ranging from 2 to 11 years old. Among them,74 cases were in Gartland type II fractures,38 cases were in type III; The duration from injury to surgery time was 2.5 to 8 hours (averaged 4.6 hours). Elbow cast was applied after operation with the elbow extended of 100 degrees for 4 to 6 weeks, then the gypsum and Kirschner wires were removed.

Results: All patients were follow-up from 6 to 60 months (averaged 12 months). All fractures reached clinical healing. The final follow-up was assessed by Flynn criteria, the result was excellent in 86 cases, good in 23 cases, general in 3 cases, excellent and good rate was 97.3%. Three patients had mild cubitus varus deformity without orthopedic treatment. No pin tract infections, iatrogenic ulnar nerve injury, compartment syndrome, and complications such as Volkmann ischemic contracture occurred.

Conclusion: Closed reduction and percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation had advantages of exact reduction, firm fixation, fewer complications ,less pain in children undergoing emergency surgery, and.high success rate, so it is a safe and efficient treatment for humeral supracondylar fracture in children.