Surgical management of delayed irreducible Gartland III supracondylar fractures in children: open reduction and internal fixation versus external fixation

Background Percutaneous pinning has been accepted as the "gold standard" for displaced supracondylar humeral fracture (SHF) in children. However, to secure an anatomic reduction and to reduce the rotated fragment, open reduction is often necessary when there is inadequate stabilization or a satisfactory reduction has failed to be achieved. The study aimed to compare the efficacy of the open reduction and bioabsorbable poly- d,l -lactic acid (PDLLA) pin fixation method with the closed reduction and lateral external fixation method in irreducible delayed Gartland type III SHF in children. Methods In this study, 124 consecutive patients with irreducible delayed Gartland type III SHF were included between 2005 and 2013. Two different surgical methods were performed in patients separately. Group I had 64 patients undergoing bioabsorbable PDLLA pin fixation after open reduction, whereas group II had 60 patients treated by lateral external fixation after closed reduction. The outcome of treatment was evaluated by the Mayo Elbow Performance Score and the criteria of Flynn. Results Operation duration was longer in group I than in group II. Scoring of function showed that all patients had satisfactory results in both groups. The cosmetic result was satisfactory in all patients except 1 in group I. Conclusions Both bioabsorbable PDLLA pin fixation and lateral external fixation are reliable, safe treatment alternatives for irreducible delayed SHF. Neither open nor closed reduction is linked to an increased rate of perioperative complications or unsatisfactory functional results.