INTRODUCTION: Treatment of displaced Gartland type 3 supracondylar humerus fractures in children may include closed reduction and percutaneous pinning. The pin configuration may be all-lateral entry or cross-pin. Despite the improved stability possible with cross-pinning, there is an inherent iatrogenic risk to the ulnar nerve of about 6%. As medial fixation may be necessary for certain fracture patterns, this study was conducted to evaluate the risk of ulnar neuropathy using a technique here described and developed to minimize injury to this structure. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on all children treated for a supracondylar humerus fracture at our institution between 2003 and 2010. All the type 3 displaced fractures were placed into 2 groups: lateral-entry pinning and cross-pinning. The 2 groups were then compared for risk of ulnar nerve injury, and a post hoc power analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 381 supracondylar humerus fractures met the inclusion criteria. Our cross-pinning technique was used in 187 (49%) of the children with a mean age of 5.8 years (range, 0.92 to 13.92 y). There were 4 ulnar nerve injuries in the entire cohort and 2 sustained as iatrogenic injuries in the cross-pinning group (1.1%). There was no significant difference between our 2 groups in regard to risk of ulnar nerve injury (P=0.24). There is a statistically significant lower risk of ulnar nerve injury in our cross-pinning technique than previously described techniques (P=0.0028), with a post hoc power analysis of 93%. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the inherent risk for iatrogenic nerve injury with cross-pinning completely displaced supracondylar humerus fractures, there is often a need to use this technique to improve fixation and stability of the fracture. Our method of cross-pinning is safe and reproducible for providing fracture stability with a significant decrease in the risk of iatrogenic ulnar nerve injury (1 in 94) when a medial pin is required. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-therapeutic studies.
INTRODUCTION: Treatment of displaced Gartland type 3 supracondylar humerus fractures in children may include closed reduction and percutaneous pinning. The pin configuration may be all-lateral entry or cross-pin. Despite the improved stability possible with cross-pinning, there is an inherent iatrogenic risk to the ulnar nerve of about 6%. As medial fixation may be necessary for certain fracture patterns, this study was conducted to evaluate the risk of ulnar neuropathy using a technique here described and developed to minimize injury to this structure. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on all children treated for a supracondylar humerus fracture at our institution between 2003 and 2010. All the type 3 displaced fractures were placed into 2 groups: lateral-entry pinning and cross-pinning. The 2 groups were then compared for risk of ulnar nerve injury, and a post hoc power analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 381 supracondylar humerus fractures met the inclusion criteria. Our cross-pinning technique was used in 187 (49%) of the children with a mean age of 5.8 years (range, 0.92 to 13.92 y). There were 4 ulnar nerve injuries in the entire cohort and 2 sustained as iatrogenic injuries in the cross-pinning group (1.1%). There was no significant difference between our 2 groups in regard to risk of ulnar nerve injury (P=0.24). There is a statistically significant lower risk of ulnar nerve injury in our cross-pinning technique than previously described techniques (P=0.0028), with a post hoc power analysis of 93%. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the inherent risk for iatrogenic nerve injury with cross-pinning completely displaced supracondylar humerus fractures, there is often a need to use this technique to improve fixation and stability of the fracture. Our method of cross-pinning is safe and reproducible for providing fracture stability with a significant decrease in the risk of iatrogenic ulnar nerve injury (1 in 94) when a medial pin is required. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-therapeutic studies.
Authors: I Georgescu; S Gavriliu; A Pârvan; A Martiniuc; E Japie; R Ghiță; I Drăghici; Ş Hamei; I Ţiripa; T El Nayef; D Dan Journal: J Med Life Date: 2013-06-25
Authors: Andrew T Livermore; Jason M Sansone; Maxwell Machurick; Paul Whiting; Scott B Hetzel; Kenneth J Noonan Journal: J Child Orthop Date: 2021-12-01 Impact factor: 1.548
Authors: Gian Mario Micheloni; Michele Novi; Massimiliano Leigheb; Andrea Giorgini; Giuseppe Porcellini; Luigi Tarallo Journal: Acta Biomed Date: 2021-07-26