OBJECTIVETo explore the effective method of preventing cubitus varus deformity in nonoperative treatment of humeral supracondylar fracture in children.

METHODSFrom May 1992 to December 2013,319 patients with hemeral supracondylar fracture in children were treated with manual reduction and external plaster fixation in extension position. There were 253 males and 66 females, aged from 15 months to 13 years old with an average of 6.7 years. Among the patients with humeral supracondylar fracture, extension type was in 284 cases and inflexion type was in 35 cases; 167 cases on the left and 152 cases on the right. Injury to treatment time was 1 hour to 7 days with a mean of 1.8 days. No included nerve injury and operative case in the patients.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 3 months to 14 years with an average of 37.3 months. All fractures obtained bone healing and healed time was 6 to 8 weeks with an average of 6.9 weeks. No complications of serious cubitus varus deformity,vascular nerve injury or volkmann contracture were found. In 183 cases, the carrying angle was consistent with itself contralateral,ranged from 5° to 15°; in 105 cases, the carrying angle of uninjuryed side was decreased. During the reset, the carrying angle of 26 patients with ulnar deviation angle was for -5° to 0°; and 5 patients with radial deviation angle was for 15° to 18°, basically does not affect the appearance. The activities of all elbow joint were normal.

CONCLUSIONExternal plaster fixation in extension position has some value to preventing cubitus varus deformity in nonoperative treatment of humeral supracondylar fracture in children and hope that more scholars to do further study.