Supracondylar Fractures

of the Distal Humerus

 Anatomy

Thompson, J. C. (2010). Netter’s Concise

Orthopaedic Anatomy (2nd ed.; E. O’Grady &
M. Thiel, eds.). Philadelphia: Saunders
Elsevier.
Anterior Compartment Posterior Compartment
Muscle Muscle

Thompson, J. C. (2010). Netter’s Concise

Orthopaedic Anatomy (2nd ed.; E. O’Grady &
M. Thiel, eds.). Philadelphia: Saunders
Elsevier.
Thompson, J. C. (2010). Netter’s Concise
Orthopaedic Anatomy (2nd ed.; E. O’Grady &
M. Thiel, eds.). Philadelphia: Saunders
Elsevier.
 Arteries and Nerves of the Arm

Thompson, J. C. (2010). Netter’s Concise Orthopaedic Anatomy (2nd ed.; E. O’Grady & M. Thiel, eds.). Philadelphia:
Saunders Elsevier.
Types of Supracondylar Humeral Fracture
• SCH fractures are the most
common elbow fractures seen in
children
• The peak age range at which most
supracondylar fractures occur is 5
to 6 years
• Supracondylar fractures may be
divided into extension and flexion
types
• Extension-type fractures account
for approximately 97% to 99% of
SCH fractures.
Thompson, J. C. (2010). Netter’s Concise
Orthopaedic Anatomy (2nd ed.; E. O’Grady & M.
Thiel, eds.). Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
 Mechanism of Injury

Rockwood, C. A., & Green, D. P. (2015). Rockwood and Green’s

Fractures in Adults (8th ed.; C. M. Court-Brown, J. D. Heckman, M.
M. McQueen, W. M. Ricci, P. Tornett, & M. D. McKee, eds.).
Wolters Kluwer.
 Anatomy and Clinical Appearance of
Supracondylar Fractures of the Distal Humerus
The pucker sign. This
patient had
penetration of the
proximal fragment’s
spike into the
subcutaneous tissue. In
the AP view

(A) there is a large

puckering or
defect in the skin
where the distal
fragment has
pulled the skin
inward.
(B) Laterally, there is
puckering of the
skin (arrow) in
the area where
the spike has
Rockwood, C. A., & Green, D. P. (2015). Rockwood and Green’s Fractures penetrated into
in Adults (8th ed.; C. M. Court-Brown, J. D. Heckman, M. M. McQueen, W. the subcutaneous
M. Ricci, P. Tornett, & M. D. McKee, eds.). Wolters Kluwer. tissue.
Relationship to neurovascular structures

Rockwood, C. A., & Green, D. P. (2015). Rockwood and Green’s Fractures in

Adults (8th ed.; C. M. Court-Brown, J. D. Heckman, M. M. McQueen, W. M.
Ricci, P. Tornett, & M. D. McKee, eds.). Wolters Kluwer.
Thank You