Results of treatment of supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children with special reference to the cause and prevention of cubitus varus.

Report and analysis of the results of treatment of 56 children who exhibited a typical supracondylar fracture of the humerus necessitating reposition and treatment by clinical methods. The functional results were good on the whole and they were not clearly dependent on the nature of the treatment. The treatment consisting in manual reposition followed by application of a plaster cast was followed in about 50% of the cases by disfiguring cubitus varus. The causes of this phenomenon are discussed. The typical endorotation of the distal fracture fragment in regard to the proximal fragment plays an important part in causing cubitus varus. Cubitus varus may be prevented by wire traction through the olecranon, even if the rotation displacement persists. For this reason, this treatment is recommended. If the rotation displacement persists in the course of the traction treatment, it is advisable to use Baumann's method of demonstrating and correcting a possible varus tilting during the course of the traction treatment. If development of cubitus varus is still suspected, surgical reposition and fixation are possible, a safe method which gives good results. The surgical treatment should achieve an anatomically correct position of the fragments.