[Treatment of medial epicondyle fractures accompanying elbow dislocations in children].

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the clinical and radiographic results of treatment for medial epicondyle fractures accompanying elbow dislocations in children.

METHODS

The study included 10 children (9 boys, 1 girl; mean age 12 years; range 1.5 to 15 years) with medial epicondyle fractures accompanying elbow dislocations. Three patients had posteromedial and seven patients had posterolateral dislocations. Three patients were treated conservatively, while four patients and three patients underwent early and late surgical treatment before or after the seventh day of injury, respectively. Surgery was indicated due to entrapment of the medial epicondyle fragments in three patients, and to instability in four patients with more than 5 mm of displacement. At surgery, a posteromedial incision was used and ulnar nerve exploration was performed. The results were evaluated using the Mayo elbow performance score. The mean follow-up period was 28 months (range 3 to 103 months).

RESULTS

Union of the medial epicondyle fractures was achieved between four to six weeks in all the patients. The mean Mayo elbow performance score was 93.5. Late surgery was associated with a score of 80 in two patients and 75 in one patient, the remaining patients had an excellent result (100 points). Full range of elbow motion was achieved in all the patients treated conservatively and with early surgery; however, following late surgery, two patients had extension and flexion losses of 5 degrees and 10 degrees , respectively. None of the patients had instability postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Patients with entrapment of the medial epicondylar fragment in the joint and with a displacement of more than 5 mm should undergo surgery, while those with a displacement of 5 mm or less can be treated conservatively.