Treatment and outcomes of pediatric supracondylar humeral fractures in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital

Management of Pediatric Humeral Supracondylar Fractures in a Referral Center From a Developing Country: A Comparison With American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Guidelines

Introduction Supracondylar fractures are the predominant type of pediatric elbow fractures. The usual mechanism of injury is falling over the hand with the elbow extended and the hand open. The management of these fractures encompasses a range of treatment options, and their goal is to recover the anatomy and achieve a stable contact area between them. There are some controversies on the management of these injuries mainly focused on those that present some degree of displacement. A review and analysis of the current treatment at our institution and a comparison with the guidelines suggested by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) for the treatment of these fractures in the pediatric population were performed. Materials and methods This was an observational, analytical, retrospective study of consecutive pediatric patients with displaced supracondylar humeral fracture treated at Hospital de Trauma "Manuel Giagni" in Asunción, Paraguay, from January 2016 to December 2021. Demographic and clinical data were assessed, and patients were clinically and radiologically followed for at least 12 months. The management of supracondylar humeral fractures at our hospital was compared with the guidelines suggested by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) by analyzing whether these guidelines were applied in each case. The mechanism of injury was divided into three groups, initial X-rays were measured, extension-type fractures were categorized into three groups, and the type of treatment was divided into two groups: non-operative and operative. Furthermore, trauma-related preoperative complications and postoperative complications were reported. Outpatient follow-up was performed for at least 12 months in all cases. Results Of the 843 patients analyzed, 71.5% were male, with a mean age of 5.6 years. It was observed that 57.5% of injuries were caused by falls on the same level. The most frequent type of injury was Gartland type III, accounting for 55% of the cases, and associated injuries were found in 4% of the cases. With regard to the type of treatment, 91.8% of patients were treated with closed reduction and percutaneous pin fixation. Complications on admission were found in 12% of the cases and late complications in 12% of the cases. Most patients (82%) had excellent Mayo Elbow Performance Score. Conclusion Supracondylar fractures were more frequent in males and in schoolchildren. Garland type III fractures were the most common type of injury. The treatment of choice was predominantly closed reduction and percutaneous pin fixation. The Mayo Elbow Performance Score was excellent in most patients. Our service, a referral center of a public hospital in a developing country, complies with the guidelines recommended by the AAOS.