Objective:To compare the clinical outcomes between percutaneous Kirschner wire leverage plus plaster fixation and elastic intramedullary nailing in the treatment of radial neck fractures in children.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 60 children with radial neck fracture who had been treated by percutaneous Kirschner wire leverage plus plaster fixation at Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Children's Hospital of Soochow University from January 2016 to July 2023 (set as an internal fixation-free group). They were 30 males and 30 females (34 left and 26 right sides) with an age of (7.7±3.0) years. At the same time, another cohort of 60 patients were chosen as an intramedullary nailing group who had been treated by percutaneous Kirschner wire leverage plus elastic intramedullary nailing and matched in age and gender with those in the internal fixation-free group. The preoperative fracture angulation, operative time, hospitalization time, fracture angulation on the first postoperative day, fracture angulation at 1 month postoperatively, rate of angulation loss after reduction, Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS) at the last follow-up and complications were compared between the 2 groups.Results:There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in their preoperative general data, showing comparability ( P<0.05). The 120 pediatric patients were followed up for (7.5±3.2) months. The operative time [(27.4±15.0) min] and hospitalization time [(3.4±1.9) d] in the internal fixation-free group were significantly shorter than those in the intramedullary nailing group [(45.4±13.5) min and (4.4±1.3) d] ( P<0.05). The preoperative fracture angulation (50.8°±1.9°), fracture angulation on the first postoperative day (11.3°±1.2°), fracture angulation at 1 month postoperatively (12.1°±1.3°), rate of angulation loss after reduction (2.9%±0.5%), and MEPS at the last follow-up [(90.4±2.0) points] in the internal fixation-free group showed no significant differences from those in the intramedullary nailing group [49.5°±1.7°, 11.1°±1.2°, 13.3°±1.5°, 3.9%±1.4%, and (90.2±2.3) points] ( P>0.05). None of the patients in the internal fixation-free group developed pin-tail irritation sign or premature epiphyseal closure after surgery, whereas 3 patients in the intramedullary nailing group developed pin-tail irritation sign and 2 ones premature epiphyseal closure after surgery, showing a significant difference in the complication rate between the 2 groups [0 (0/60) versus 8.3% (5/60)] ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Percutaneous Kirschner wire leverage plus plaster fixation and close elastic intramedullary nailing can both achieve satisfactory outcomes in the treatment of radial neck fractures in children. However, percutaneous Kirschner wire leverage plus plaster fixation needs shorter operative time and hospitalization time, leads to fewer complications, and requires no reoperation to remove internal fixation.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes of neutral wedge osteotomy assisted by determination of the center of rotation of angulation (CORA) at the distal humerus anatomical axis for cubitus varus deformity in children.Methods:From 2016 to December 2019, 20 children with cubitus varus after supracondylar fracture of the humerus were treated at Department of Orthopeadics, Children's Hospital of Wujiang District. They were 8 boys and 12 girls, aged from 4 to 12 years (average, 7.0 years). Standard anteroposterior X-ray films of bilateral humerus were taken preoperatively for measurement of Baumann angle, proximal anatomical axis (PAA) and distal anatomical axis (DAA) of bilateral humerus to determine the CORA and the varus deformity angle. A lateral closed neutral wedge osteotomy was performed around the CORA to correct the varus deformity. All children were immobilized with elbow plaster cast after operation. Elbow flexion and extension function, postoperative scar, and body surface carrying angle were recorded. The carrying angle and Baumann angle were also measured on elbow X-ray films. Elbow function was evaluated according to the modified Flynn elbow score at 24 months after operation.Results:All patients were followed up for 24 to 36 months (mean, 29.3 months). Elbow hyperextension was close to normal in 18 cases, and 5° hyperextension existed in 2 cases. The flexion was greater than 130°, averaging 133.1° (from 130° to 138°), in 15 patients. The flexion ranged from 110° to 130° in 5 patients. The Baumann angle was 99.0°±1.0° preoperatively and 76.0°±1.0° postoperatively; the carrying angle was -14.0°±1.0° preoperatively and 13.6°±1.0° postoperatively. There were significant differences between the above items between preoperation and postoperation ( P<0.05). According to the modified Flynn elbow score at 24 months after operation, the elbow function was excellent in 16 and good in 4 cases. The varus of 40° was corrected during surgery in one child. Fixation failure or correction failure occurred in none of the children before removal of the plaster or the Kirschner wire. Conclusions:In neutral wedge osteotomy assisted by determination of the CORA at the distal humerus anatomical axis, the CORA and angulation of the distal humerus inversion can be accurately determined so that the osteotomy line and the angulation correction axis can pass through the CORA to restore the humerus alignment with no displacement of the broken ends.