Broken Elbow Surgery in Children

Most elbow fractures occur when children fall on an outstretched arm. If the child feels pain after a fall or difficulty moving the arm, the problem may be a fracture that needs immediate medical care. Treating the child's broken arm as soon as possible is important to restore function and prevent deformity as the child grows. A pediatric orthopedic surgeon is the best person to diagnose the injury and restore the arm to full function

Symptoms of a Broken Elbow

• Pain is the chief symptom of a fracture at the elbow joint, along with swelling, tenderness and limited motion.

Diagnosis of Broken Elbow

• The physician will use X-rays to determine what kind of break has occurred. She will also check to see if any blood vessels or nerves have been damaged. Because a child's bones are still growing and the injury can have long-term effects, surgery may be necessary.

Types of Elbow Fractures

• Above-the-elbow fractures, where the fracture is in the humerus bone just above the elbow, tend to occur in children under the age of 8. It is one of the most common breaks and can be serious because of nerve damage and impairment of circulation.

  Condylar fractures occur at one of the bony knobs at the end of the upper arm bone. Usually it is the outer knob that fractures. This kind of fracture can affect the growth plate, so it is important to be properly treated.

  Epicondyle fractures of the inner bone tend to occur in children between the ages of 9 and 14.

  Both the upper arm bone and forearm bone have growth plates (physis) near the end of the bones that can cause deformity or arrested growth if not treated properly when fractured.

  The head of the forearm bone (radius bone) can be broken off or great force can cause a compression fracture.

  Fracture dislocation can also occur when a fracture occurs, and the lower and upper bones of the arm no longer align properly. Then, not only the fracture, but the problem with alignment must be resolved.

When Surgery Is Required

• Pins, screws or wire may be necessary to hold pieces of bone together while they heal. On children, this surgery is done under general anesthetic in a hospital or surgery center. The patient can return home the same day. A cast may be applied to the child's elbow and has to be worn for three to five weeks. Range-of-motion exercises may also be required immediately after surgery.

Preventing Children's Elbow Fractures

• Make sure children have protective equipment available for their activities, including elbow pads for skating or skateboarding. Reinforce habits of wearing protective equipment for sports or play activities.