Abstract

• PURPOSE: The purpose of this report is to describe the pattern of elbow injuries and the incidence of the different fracture types in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 445 in-patient children treated for the elbow injuries for 5 years were reviewed and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The average age of 445 children was 6.7 years. The average age of boys(6.9 years) was about 1 year older than girls(5.9 years). The age group of 4 - 7 years is the majority(50%), followed by the age group of 8 - 11 years(22%). The boy to girl ratio was approximately 2:1. The male predominance changed with the age and appeared dramatically in the age group of 12-16 years( 6.7:1 ). Left elbow was injured more frequently(60%). Left side predominance was accentuated in girls compared to boys(69% vs 55%), especially in the age group of 8 - 16 years (80% vs 50%). Thirty percent of the fractures occurred during the summer, followed by 27% the autumn, 26% the spring months and 17% the winter. The most common fracture was the supracondylar fractures of the humerus(52.3%), followed by lateral condylar fractures(25.4%), olecranon fractures(5.3%), radial head fractures(4.8%), medial epicondyle fractures(4.6%), transphyseal fractures(2.8%) and Monteggia fractures(2.2%). Medial condylar fractures(1.1%) and elbow dislocation(0.8%) were rare injuries. The average age was higher in radial head fracture(10.6 years) and medial epicondylar fracture(12.4years). Closed reduction and percutaneous pinning was the method of treatment in more than half(52%). Open reduction was performed in 32%. Sixteen percent was treated by closed reduction and cast immobilization. CONCLUSION: The incidence and pattern of elbow injuries in children, which needed operative treatment in the majority, occured closely correlated with the amount of injury prone play and the pattern of behavior during the causative accidents.
• Key words: Elbow, Injuries, Children

Figure & Data

REFERENCES

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by