Burnei's "double X" internal fixation technique for supracondylar humerus fractures in children: indications, technique, advantages and alternative interventions : Study and Research Group in Pediatric Orthopaedics-2012

The Study and Research Group in Pediatric Orthopedics-2012 initated this retrospective study due to the fact that in Romania and in other countries, the numerous procedures do not ensure the physicians a definite point of view related to the therapeutic criteria in the treatment of supracondylar fractures. That is why the number of complications and their severity brought into notice these existent deficiencies. In order to correct some of these complications, cubitus varus or valgus, Prof. Al. Pesamosca communicated a paper called "Personal procedure in the treatment of posttraumatic cubitus varus" at the County Conference from Bacău, in June 24, 1978. This procedure has next been made popular by Prof. Gh. Burnei and his coworkers by operating patients with cubitus varus or valgus due to supracondylar humeral fractures and by presenting papers related to the subject at the national and international congresses. The latest paper regarding this problem has been presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the European Pediatric Orthopedic Society in Zagreb, Croatia, April 7-10, 2010, being titled "Distal humeral Z-osteotomy for posttraumatic cubitus varus or valgus", having as authors Gh. Burnei, Ileana Georgescu, Ştefan Gavriliu, Costel Vlad and Daniela Dan. As members of this group, based on the performed studies, we wish to make popular this type of osteosynthesis, which ensures a tight fixation, avoids complications and allows a rapid postoperative activity. The acknowledged treatment for these types of fractures is the orthopedic one and it must be accomplished as soon as possible, in the first 6 hours, by reduction and cast immobilization or by closed or open reduction and fixation, using one of the several methods (Judet, Boehler, Kapandji, San Antonio, San Diego, Burnei's double X technique). The exposed treatment is indicated in irreducible supracondylar humeral fractures, in reducible, but unstable type, in polytraumatized patients with supracondylar fractures, in supracondylar fractures with vascular injury, in late presenting fractures, in case of loss of reduction under cast immobilization or in case of surgery with other types of fixation that is deteriorated. We have been using Burnei's osteosynthesis for about 10 years. This paper aims to present the operative technique, its results and advantages. 56 cases were treated with Burnei's "double X" osteosynthesis in "Alexandru Pesamosca" Surgery Clinics, from 2001 to 2011. We used the Kocher approach