Tahir Burak SARITAŞ, İlyas KABAN
Konuralp Tıp Dergisi - 2026;18(3):296-302
Aim: To characterize final functional outcomes and explore demographic, fracture-related, and treatment-related correlates of side-to-side elbow motion loss after closed reduction and percutaneous pinning (CRPP) of isolated pediatric radial neck fractures. Material and Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort included 37 patients younger than 16 years with isolated Judet type III-IVb radial neck fractures treated with CRPP between January 2015 and January 2025. Outcomes assessed after at least 12 months were the contralateral-minus-affected flexion-extension and pronation-supination arc loss and the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS). Associations with candidate variables were examined using Spearman rank correlations with Benjamini-Hochberg correction for multiple testing. Results: Median follow-up was 41 months (IQR, 38-52 months). Mean flexion-extension and pronation-supination arc losses were 3.8 +/- 2.1 derece and 4.3 +/- 2.0 derece, respectively, and median MEPS was 100 (IQR, 95-100). Four patients (10.8%) experienced a complication. Greater pronation-supination arc loss correlated with older age, greater initial maximum angulation, and greater initial maximum displacement (rho = 0.609, 0.611, and 0.608, respectively; all q < 0.001). No other association met the multiplicity-adjusted significance threshold. Conclusion: Among patients with isolated radial neck fractures treated using CRPP without conversion to open reduction, final elbow function was favorable and mean side-to-side motion losses were small. Older age and greater initial fracture deformity correlated with greater pronation-supination loss; however, their clinical importance and independent prognostic value remain uncertain.
