What is a supracondylar humerus fracture?
Your child’s humerus is fractured (broken) near the elbow area, just above the joint. This is called a supracondylar (supra CON dy ler) humerus fracture. It is the most common type of elbow fracture and happens most often to children younger than 8 years old.
Which nerve is injury in supracondylar fracture?
Supracondylar fractures can be significant injuries with a reported incidence of associated nerve injuries between 11% and 15%. Posteromedially displaced fractures are more likely to have an associated neurological injury;10 most commonly the radial nerve is affected.
Which structures are at risk of damage in a supracondylar fracture?
Important arteries and nerves (median nerve, radial nerve, brachial artery, and ulnar nerve) are located at the supracondylar area and can give rise to complications if these structures are injured. Most vulnerable structure to get damaged is Median Nerve.
What is a comminuted supracondylar fracture?
A supracondylar fracture is a type of elbow fracture common in young children. The location and cause of the fracture determine the type. A supracondylar fracture is a fracture in the upper arm just above the elbow joint. It is common but it can become dangerous if not treated properly.
What does supracondylar mean?
Medical Definition of supracondylar : of, relating to, affecting, or being the part of a bone situated above a condyle supracondylar osteotomy a supracondylar fracture of the humerus.
How does a supracondylar fracture happen?
Overview. A supracondylar fracture is an injury to the humerus, or upper arm bone, at its narrowest point, just above the elbow. Supracondylar fractures are the most common type of upper arm injury in children. They are frequently caused by a fall on an outstretched elbow or a direct blow to the elbow.
Which nerve is involved in fracture neck humerus?
A fracture in this area is most likely to cause damage to the axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery.
Which structure should you monitor when there is a supracondylar fracture?
It can be examined with decreased sensation in dorsal aspect of the hand and weak wrist extensors. Ulnar nerve is prone to injury following flexion type of supracondylar fractures and loss of sensation in its distribution can be examined following weakness of intrinsic muscles of the hand.
Is supracondylar fracture an emergency?
Displaced supracondylar fractures have been traditionally treated as surgical emergencies due to the risk of neurovascular complications or the belief that open reduction instead of closed reduction will be needed if surgery is delayed.
How do you fix a supracondylar fracture?
Surgery is usually not necessary if the fracture is a type 1 or a milder type 2, and if there are no complications. A cast or a splint can be used to immobilize the joint and allow the natural healing process to begin. Sometimes a splint is used first to allow the swelling to go down, followed by a full cast.
How long does supracondylar fracture last?
Recovery time for this injury typically includes three to four weeks in a long arm cast, after which we will remove the cast and take a new x-ray.
How to diagnose subaxial cervical vertebral body fractures?
Subaxial Cervical Vertebral Body Fractures are a subset of cervical spine injuries that consist of compression fractures, burst fractures, flexion teardrop fractures, and extension teardrop avulsion fractures. Diagnosis is made with radiographs of the cervical spine. CT scan can be helpful for fracture characterization and surgical planning.
How old does a child have to be to have a supracondylar fracture?
Supracondylar Fractures are one of the most common traumatic fractures seen in children and most commonly occur in children 5-7 years of age from a fall on an outstretched hand. Diagnosis can be made with plain radiographs.
What kind of injury can a cervical spine fracture cause?
Introduction and background Cervical spine (C-spine) trauma constitutes a variety of injuries ranging from relatively mild ligamentous and muscular strains to fractures and dislocations of the bony vertebrae, which can result in significant spinal cord injuries (SCIs).
What do cervical facet dislocations and fractures mean?
Cervical Facet Dislocations and Fractures represent a spectrum of traumatic injury with a varying degree of cervical instability and risk of spinal cord injury. Diagnosis can be confirmed with radiographs or CT scan.