Fractures in children.

The literature published in the past year on fractures in children has helped us to increase our understanding of the natural history of fracture healing in children and introduced new techniques for fracture treatment. There is an impetus for operative fixation of femur fractures in children. The possibility is raised of growth derangement as a result of intramedullary nailing. Supracondylar fractures of the elbow continue to be a frequent topic for discussion. The benefits of adequate reduction and internal fixation have been reinforced. The incidence of nerve palsy, especially that of the anterior interosseous nerve, has been emphasized. New radiographic parameters for determining intraoperative reduction have been described. The management of radial neck fracture has been improved with percutaneous reduction proposed as an alternative to complication-fraught open reduction. New information has been brought to the forefront regarding knee injuries, in particular the implications of hemarthrosis and tibial eminence fractures. Biodegradable implants have become important as they prove to be useful in children's fracture management. Such implants have been shown to be useful in fractures that do not require rigid fixation. However, biodegradable devices may be associated with foreign body reactions.