Supracondylar humerus fracture

Supracondylar humerus fracture
An elbow X-ray showing a displaced supracondylar fracture in a young child
Specialty	Orthopedic

A supracondylar humerus fracture is a fracture of the distal humerus just above the elbow joint. The fracture is usually transverse or oblique and above the medial and lateral condyles and epicondyles. This fracture pattern is relatively rare in adults, but is the most common type of elbow fracture in children.^[1] In children, many of these fractures are non-displaced and can be treated with casting. Some are angulated or displaced and are best treated with surgery. In children, most of these fractures can be treated effectively with expectation for full recovery.^[2] Some of these injuries can be complicated by poor healing or by associated blood vessel or nerve injuries with serious complications.