Ritabh Kumar, Vivek Trikha and Rajesh Malhotra
Department of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

194 children with supracondylar fractures of the humerus were reviewed. Of the 49 children with Gartland grade III displacement, signs of vascular compromise were clinically suspected in 5 cases. Immediate open reduction, internal fixation and exploration were performed. Four children had a satisfactory outcome. One child required amputation. A careful clinical evaluation for vascular injury and an aggressive surgical approach is suggested, when indicated.

Key words: humerus; supracondylar fracture; vascular insult; clinical evaluation; surgery