Results of treatment of displaced long bones fractures in children--comparison of different methods]

Authors compared functional results of treatment of 48 patients; 25 children with displaced supracondylar humeral fractures, 16 treated with skeletal traction (group I, mean age 7.9 year), 9 treated with closed reduction and percutaneous K-wire fixation (group II mean age 7.7 year), and 23 patients with displaced femoral shaft fractures, 10 treated with traction (group III, mean age 7.5 year), 13 treated with closed reduction and elastic intramedullary nailing. Good results after supracondylar humeral fractures were obtained in 37.5% of patients treated with traction and in 66.7% treated with percutaneous K-wire fixation, and after femoral fractures in 70% treated with traction and 84.6% treated with intramedullary nailing. The use of instrumental methods of treatment allowed to reduce significantly the duration of hospitalization (respectively: 19.8 vs. 6.4, and 28.5 vs. 9.5 days). In authors' opinion, a closed reduction secured by percutaneous K-wire fixation as well as a closed reduction with elastic intramedullary nailing are the methods of choice in treatment of discussed fractures in children.