Procedural Outcomes of Double Vs. Single Fluoroscopy for Fixing Supracondylar Humerus Fractures in Children: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: Supracondylar humerus fractures (SHFs) are frequently seen in the pediatric population. The aim of this study was to compare single- and double-fluoroscopy methods for the closed reduction and percutaneous pinning (CRPP) of Gartland type 2 and type 3 SHFs. Materials and Methods: Forty patients who underwent surgery between March 2016 and April 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. Twenty-one patients (group 1) who received double fluoroscopy and 19 patients (group 2) who had single fluoroscopy were evaluated. The preparation period, surgical duration, radiation exposure time, fracture types, sex distributions, distribution of sides, radiologic results at the third month, cosmetic and functional results, and the incidence of complications were recorded. Results: The mean age of the patients in group 1 and group 2 was 4.76 and 4.68 years, respectively. The mean preparation time of group 1 was 11.3 min; whereas in group 2, it was 8.7 min (p < 0.01). The mean surgical duration was 31.76 min in group 1, and 40.47 min in group 2 (p < 0.01). The mean radiation exposure time in group 1 and group 2 was 41.19 and 47.36 s, respectively (p = 0.04). There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of the preparation period, surgical duration, and radiation exposure time. Radiation exposure time and surgical duration were significantly shorter in group 1; the preparation period was shorter in group 2. Conclusions: The double-fluoroscopy technique can significantly reduce surgical duration and radiation exposure time during surgery while treating SHFs of children. © 2020, Indian Orthopaedics Association.