Supracondylar fractures of the humerus--results of surgical treatment.

Forty-eight patients with supracondylar fractures of the humerus have been treated at St. Michael's Hospital in the past 10 years. Forty-six of the 48 were treated surgically. A comparison was made between the use of standard AO (ASIF) plates with a pre-contoured plate especially designed for the distal humerus. The results of this comparison suggested that the specifically designed plate provided superior fixation and better anatomic restoration of the distal humerus. Anatomic reduction, rigid fixation, and early surgery provide the best results.