Abstracts Posters SICOT-SOF meeting Gothenburg 2010 _2_

Poster
Topic: Paediatrics
Abstract number: 26156
OUTCOME OF PAEDIATRIC FOREARM FRACTURES TREATED WITH
FLEXIBLE NAILS
Saravana Vail KARUPPIAH, Arpit JARIWALA
Dept of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, Dundee (UNITED KINGDOM)
Introduction: The majority of paediatric diaphyseal forearm fractures are treated with
closed reduction and application of an above elbow cast. It is difficult to manage
unstable diaphyseal fractures with cast alone, however in recent years flexible nails
are becoming viable option. Aim To study the clinical outcome of patients treated with
flexible nails for forearm fractures. Materials and method: Patients details was
collected retrospectively from hospital database including patient demographics,
mechanism of injury, fracture classification, duration of hospital stay, surgical details
and complications. ResultsThere were a total of 26 patients (3 open and 23 closed
fractures) treated with flexible nail for unstable forearm fractures with age ranging
between 5 to 16. Union of fracture was evident clinically and radiologically in all
patients at an average of 8 weeks. All patients had the flexible nail removed
electively at 3 months. There was one case of infection at pin site requiring the nail to
be removed at 6 weeks. The fracture in this patient healed and there was no long
term sequel. Radiological angulation was calculated using Firl and Wunsch score
and found to be r=10.11, x=118.63, y=174.7 which is calculated as the percentage of
average maximum radial bow as 67.9% (normal 60.39%) which is 5.79% (normal
7.21%) of the total length of the radius. Conclusion: Flexible nails is a viable
alternated treatment in forearm fracture in paediatric age group for displaced and
unstable diaphyseal forearm fractures in children.
382