Can Gartland II and III supracondylar humerus fractures be treated using Blount's method in the emergency room?

BACKGROUND: Studies have established that Blount's method is reliable for treating extension supracondylar fractures (SCFs) in paediatric patients. Reduction in the emergency room (ER) under procedural sedation followed by orthopaedic treatment is increasingly used for many fracture types. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether SCF reduction in the ER was feasible, by determining the failure rate. The secondary objective was to identify causes of failure with the goal of improving patient selection to reduction in the ER.

HYPOTHESIS: Gartland II and III SCFs (Lagrange-Rigault grades 2-4) can be treated in the emergency room under fluoroscopic guidance and with procedural sedation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in 128 paediatric patients who underwent ER reduction of an SCF in 2014-2015. Mean age was 5.6 years. Reduction was performed either by an orthopaedic surgery resident or by a specially trained emergency physician.

RESULTS: Of the 128 SCFs, 101 (79%) were Gartland II and 27 Gartland III. In the Lagrange-Rigault classification, 55 (43%) fractures were grade 2, 59 (46%) were grade 3, and 14 (11%) were grade 4. The arm was immobilised using the cuff-and-collar method described by Blount for 4 weeks. All 128 fractures healed without delay. Blount's method alone was effective in 112 (87.5%) patients. Of the 16 other patients, 15 (Lagrange-Rigault 3, n=14; and 4, n=1) had an unstable fracture after ER reduction and were managed by reduction and internal fixation in the operating room. The remaining patient (0.5%) experienced secondary displacement requiring revision surgery in the operating room.

CONCLUSION: SCFs grades 2 to 4 in the Lagrange-Rigault classification (Gartland II and III) can be treated in the ER by specially trained physicians. Lagrange-Rigault grade 3/Gartland III SCFs are more likely to require subsequent internal fixation but do not contraindicate reduction in the ER.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, retrospective study.