Management of vascular injuries in displaced supracondylar humerus fractures without arteriography.

One hundred forty-three displaced (type III) supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children were treated over a 5.5-year period with 17 (11.9%) having signs of vascular impairment at the time of presentation. Rapid reduction and Kirschner wire stabilization without arteriogram was performed in each case. In three cases in which satisfactory blood supply to the hand was not present after reduction, circulation was restored after exploration of the brachial artery revealed two intimal tears and one arterial entrapment. The remaining 14 patients were normal at follow-up with no late vascular compromise. Based on these findings, we feel prereduction arteriography is not indicated in this injury.