LATERAL CONDYLAR FRACTURES OF THE HUMERUS IN CHILDREN - FIXATION WITHPARTIALLY THREADED 4.0-MM AO CANCELLOUS SCREWS

Thirty-seven children with fresh, displaced (more than 2 mm in any dir ection) fractures of the lateral condyle of the humerus were treated b y open reduction and internal fixation with a partially threaded 4.0-m m diameter AO lag screw, They were reviewed at a mean follow-up of 4.8 years, Painless, full-elbow movements were obtained in 36 cases. Dela yed union, with loss of 10 degrees of elbow motion, was observed in on e ease (2.72%), Radiologically, less than 4 degrees of varus deviation , compared with the contralateral side, was found in four cases (10.8% ), Mild fishtailing was observed in three cases (8.18%), Nonunion, ava scular necrosis or clinically significant premature epiphysial fusion was not observed, Elbow function was excellent, irrespective of minor radiologic abnormalities.