Diagnostic Methods and Treatments of Anterior Interosseous Nerve Syndromes in Supracondylar Humerus Fractures: Case Series and Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: Half of all fractures of the elbow and almost 30% of all limb fractures occur in children under the 7 years of age, supracondylar humerus fracture being the most common. Neurological complications associated with supracondylar humerus fractures in children such as Anterior Interosseous Nerve (AIN) syndrome are well known. Cases Presentation: Thirty-three children with humeral supracondylar fracture were admitted to the orthopedic surgery centers at Imam Hospital in Sari, north of Iran from November 2014 to November 2016. Of them, four cases had AIN syndrome. The treatment of fracture involved closed reduction with percutaneous pinning, open reduction, and pin fixation. Conclusions: According to the only motor (no sensory) dysfunction of AIN and by deceiving children using the third finger to flex the second one, underestimation of AIN syndrome in supracondylar fracture of the humerus can be expected. So, the physician should be more careful about physical examination in supracondylar fracture of humerus beside to vascular state.

Keywords

• Fracture fixation
• Arm injuries
• Supracondylar humerus fracture