Incidence of anterior interosseous nerve palsy in supracondylar humerus fractures in children

Abstract

A retrospective review of 101 supracondylar humerus fractures in children between the ages of 0 and 11 years identified 15 patients with neural lesions. All were associated with displaced fractures, and 10 (66%) required open reduction for definitive fracture management. Six of these lesions were isolated anterior interosseous nerve palsies and four other patients had an anterior interosseous nerve injury in combination with another nerve injury, producing a sensory deficit. Two patients had a complete median nerve palsy. Only three patients had nerve lesions that did not involve the anterior interosseous nerve. The incidence (15%) of neural lesions in this study is similar to that reported elsewhere, but the incidence of anterior interosseous nerve lesions, particularly those occurring as an isolated injury, is much higher than has been reported previously. Because an anterior interosseous nerve palsy results in motor loss only, this injury may be easily overlooked.