[Fractures in the elbow joint area in childhood and adolescence]

73 cases of elbow joint fractures were treated in our Dep. of Paediatric surgery over a period of 10 years. Most of the fractures in the region of the distal humerus are localized at the ulnar epicondyle and the radial condyle. At the proximal forearm the radial head and the radial collum fractures are dominant in respect to olecranon fractures. Only two cases involved a comminuted fracture of the distal humerus. Due to the fact that only a small number of cases involving a fracture of the radial epicondyle after a luxation of the elbow were registered, it is possible that we paid no attention to this kind of fractures. An early functional therapy in the case of segmental fracture of the radial head must be emphasized among the 11 cases with a conservative treatment. Another 3 cases with a radial head fracture, type Judet III, should be mentioned, because they were treated without reposition but were spontaneously redressed. The operation procedure and the late results by 62 patients are discussed with the results of other examiners. As expected the comminuted fractures of the distal humerus and the radial head had a bad prognosis. Functional relevant dislocations were rare. Only in one case after a conservative treatment of a lateral condyle fracture a development of a valgus position with a pseudarthrosis after a secondary dislocation was observed. In more than 90% of our cases we could achieve a complete anatomical reposition with good to very good functional results.