Various treatment modalities in fractures of shaft of radius and ulna in children and associated complications at rural hospital

Abstract

Fractures of both bones of the forearm are very common orthopaedics injuries in the paediatric age group. The majority of these fractures are usually treated by traction, reduction and above elbow casting. The present study is undertaken to study various treatment modalities and their postoperative complications and functional results.Methods: It is a prospective study which was carried out from October 2019 to September 2021 in Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni, Ahmednagar. In this study 73 cases of fracture radius ulna of paediatric age group were treated by closed reduction and above elbow cast application and closed/open reduction with TENS nail fixation.Results: A sample size of 73 patients were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria coming to the hospital with fracture of shaft of radius and ulna. The patients in the study, ranged in age from 5 to 12 years old, with an average age of 8.315 years. The study discovered that males account for 54.8% of the incidence, while females account for 45.2% with male to female ratio being 1.2:1. The right hand was injured in 54% of cases, whereas the left hand was injured in 46%. A fall was the most common type of injury in our study (86%) followed by an assault (10%) and a traffic accident (4%). Conservative management had a higher union rate than other modalities. Postoperative swelling is more common in CRIF/ORIF with TENS nailing.Conclusion: Conservative management with cast application remains the first choice for both-bone forearm fracture in children. In TENS nailing, complications are higher when compared to conservative management but still remains a good treatment modality for adolescent forearm fractures.