Of 48 consecutive children with Gartland III
supracondylar fractures, 11 (23%) had evidence of vascular injury,
with an absent radial pulse. The hand was pink and warm in eight
and white and cold in the other three patients. They underwent colour-coded
duplex scanning (CCDS) and ultrasound velocimetry (UV) to investigate
the patency of the brachial artery and arterial blood flow. In seven
patients with a pink pulseless hand, CCDS showed a displaced, kinked
and spastic brachial artery and a thrombosis was present in the
other. In all cases UV showed reduced blood flow in the hand. In
three patients with a white pulseless hand, scanning demonstrated
a laceration in the brachial artery and/or thrombosis. In all cases,
the fracture was reduced under general anaesthesia and fixed with
Kirschner wires. Of the seven patients with a pink pulseless hand
without thrombosis, the radial pulse returned after reduction in
four cases. The remaining three underwent exploration, along with
the patients with laceration in the brachial artery and/or thrombosis. We believe that the traditional strategy of watchful waiting
in children in whom the radial pulse remains absent in spite of
good peripheral perfusion should be revisited. Vascular investigation
using these non-invasive techniques that are quick and reliable
is recommended in the management of these patients. Cite this article:
The aim of this retrospective multicentre study was to report the continued occurrence of compartment syndrome secondary to paediatric supracondylar humeral fractures in the period 1995 to 2005. The inclusion criteria were children with a closed, low-energy supracondylar fracture with no associated fractures or vascular compromise, who subsequently developed compartment syndrome. There were 11 patients (seven girls and four boys) identified from eight hospitals in three countries. Ten patients with severe elbow swelling documented at presentation had a mean delay before surgery of 22 hours (6 to 64). One patient without severe swelling documented at presentation suffered arterial entrapment following reduction, with a subsequent compartment syndrome requiring fasciotomy 25 hours after the index procedure. This series is noteworthy, as all patients had low-energy injuries and presented with an intact radial pulse. Significant swelling at presentation and delay in fracture reduction may be important warning signs for the development of a compartment syndrome in children with supracondylar fractures of the humerus.
