Forearm shortening

Introduction Shortening of the forearm is a clinical manifestation of the diagnosis of supracondylar fracture of the humerus. The supracondylar fracture of the humerus refers to a fracture above the medial and lateral iliac crest. With elbow pain, swelling and even tension blisters, elbow deformity, activity disorder is the main performance. Among them, the straight type accounts for about 90%. The most common in children, the age of 5 to 12 years old. When the treatment of the supracondylar fracture of the humerus is not appropriate, it may cause Volkmann ischemic contracture or cubitus varus deformity. Although various treatment methods have been improved or improved, the Volkmann ischemic contracture has been significantly reduced, but the cubitus varus deformity continues to occur, and the incidence is still high, and attention must be paid during treatment.

Cause

The supracondylar fracture of the humerus is caused by indirect violence. Supracondylar fractures of the humerus occur mostly in sports injuries, life injuries and traffic accidents. The fracture is usually divided into a straight type and a flexion type. According to the displacement of the fracture, the straight type is divided into a straight-line type and a straight-line type.

an examination

Related inspection

CT examination of the extremities and soft tissue CT examination of the forearm extensor tension test

Mainly based on the following:

1. The history of trauma is more frequent in life and sports accidents, and more common in preschool children.

2. The clinical manifestations are mainly swelling of the elbow (more obvious), severe pain and limited mobility, and special attention should be paid to the presence or absence of vascular injury.

3. The upper arm of the fracture is shortened, the normal upper arm of the forearm is normal, and the forearm is shortened.

4. Imaging examination of conventional positive and lateral X-ray films can be diagnosed and typed.

Differential diagnosis

The supracondylar fracture of the humerus mainly needs to be differentiated from the elbow dislocation:

In children under 5 to 6 years of age, the supracondylar fracture of the humerus should be distinguished from the distal iliac crest. Because the ossification center of the humeral head appears in the age of 1 year, and the ossification center of the trochle appears in the age of 10 years, the osteophytes are completely separated in the X-ray film without fracture line, and the relationship between the longitudinal axis of the humerus and the humeral head is not changed. However, the relationship with the lower end of the humerus changes, the elbows are swollen, and the circumference is tender.

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