[Outcome of the pediatric post-traumatic contracture of the elbow].

INTRODUCTION

Pediatric elbow contractures may happen as a consequence of the various injuries in the elbow area.

PURPOSE: The aim of this article has been to analyze outcome of the therapy of the pediatric elbow posttraumatic contracture in relation to primary injury and to establish if the age of the children has effect on the length of hospital stay of the children with posttraumatic elbow contractures.

WORK METHOD: We analyzed 75 children (51 boys and 24 girls); average age 9.1 +/- 3.2 years that have been treated in Rehabilitation center because of the posttraumatic elbow contractures. The average duration of rehabilitation was 40.1 days. Rehabilitation included procedures of the physical therapy and splints. The other group of the 80 healthy children was control group. Range of motion of elbow joint was measured for each child by goniometry.

WORK

RESULTS

The most often pediatric elbow contractures were in the children with supracondylar fractures (39 or 52%) at the beginning of the therapy and at the end of the therapy in the children with condylar fractures (7 children or 9.3%). Outcome of the therapy was the best in the children with supracondylar fracture (34 children or 87.2% had full range of motion of the elbow at the discharge). The average value of the range of motion of the elbow joint after physical therapy was 124.1(0). Outcome was the best in the children with supracondylar fractures. Age of the children was not significantly correlated with length of hospital stay (Pearson's coefficient of correlation, r = 0.267282).

DISCUSSION AND

CONCLUSION

Physical therapy has favorable effect on the outcome of the therapy of the pediatric elbow contractures and age of the children did not significantly correlate with length of hospital stay.