Shaft forearm fractures in children: intramedullary nailing with immediate motion: a preliminary report

Nailing is a good solution for shaft forearm fractures in children who require surgery. A closed reduction is very often possible owing to the bent tip of the pins. The procedure avoids extensive dissection, unlike epiphyseal plates. When a nailing is performed, the distal approach for both bones is the most convenient, avoiding elbow pain on the proximal ulnar incision. Six children of 57 had unacceptable reduction following conservative treatment and underwent intramedullary fixation. An immediate mobilization was possible in all patients. We observed neither delays in union nor recurrent fractures. The range of motion was normal in the postoperative period and at the 1 year follow-up.