Transient osteochondrosis of the capitellum in a child after humeral supracondylar fracture: a case report.

Abstract

Supracondylar fracture of the humerus is the most frequently encountered fracture around the elbow in children. Avascular necrosis is an uncommon complication after supracondylar fracture, but fishtail deformity after avascular necrosis of the trochlea is well known. However, transient osteochondrosis of the capitellum after a supracondylar fracture has not been previously reported in the English literature except 1 case abstract. The authors report their experience of transient osteochondrosis of the capitellum in a 3-year-old boy after the closed reduction and percutaneous pinning for a displaced supracondylar fracture of the distal humerus. No specific treatment was performed because there was no evidence of nonunion or of a progressing deformity. He had gained full range of motion of the elbow without pain by 6 months postoperatively. At 24 months after surgery, the ossification center of the capitellum began reossifying and enlarging in size. There was no evidence of growth disturbances, such as, angular or fishtail deformity, in this case.