[Treatment of childhood humeral fractures by wire fixation]

Out of 526 upper limb fractures treated in the Pediatric Surgery Department of the Péterfy Sándor Hospital between 1970-1975, 63 patients were operated on. (11.9%). Fractures in childhood are generally treated by closed methods because healing of the growing bone is favourable. If it is reasonable, fractures of the forearm bones are successfully treated by means of intramedullary wire fixation, fractures of the elbow by means of transfixation. No septic complication occured following operation. Growth disturbancies were not observed in the affected bones after the operative intervention in the course of 1 to 5 years. On this ground the author recommends the adaptational "minimal" osteosynthesis in the treatment of fractures in infancy, if closed methods do not promise optimal results.