Pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures: treatment by type of orthopedic surgeon

Abstract

Purpose Outcomes in children with supracondylar humerus fractures were stratified by type of treating orthopedic surgeon: pediatric orthopedic surgeon and nonpediatric orthopedic surgeon. Methods The outcome factors in 444 children examined included: open reduction rate, complications, postoperative nerve injury, repinning rate, need for physical therapy, and residual nerve palsy at final follow-up. Results For the severe fractures, significantly more fractures were treated by open reduction in the pediatric orthopedic surgeon group than in the nonpediatric orthopedic surgeon group. There were no other significant differences in outcomes between the fractures treated by the pediatric orthopedic surgeons and nonpediatric orthopedic surgeons. Conclusions This study supports the assertion that both pediatric and nonpediatric orthopedic surgeons in an academic setting have sufficient training, skill, and experience to treat these common injuries.