Supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children--closed pinning.

The supracondylar fracture of the humerus is one of the most common in children, approximately one hundred per year, in Kuwait. The treatment consists in manipulation and fixation by plaster of Paris in the most stable position, usually maximal possible flexion in the elbow joint. For irreducible or unstable cases a percutaneous fixation by Kirschner wires was introduced in September 1993. Two or three Kirschner wires were used either parallel from radial condyle or cross fixation from ulnar and radial condyle. Cross fixation was used in older children without swelling of the elbow. This method has helped to reduce and stabilize the fracture allowing fixation of the elbow at 90 degrees flexion reducing the risk of the blood supply disturbance. The aim of this study was to find rules for proper selection of these two types of fixation.