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Epidemiology of Paediatric Elbow Fractures: a Retrospective Multi-Centre Study of 488 Fractures

·J Child Orthop·2019·62 citations·Pediatrics
Free Full Text·DOI·PubMed
SummaryAbstract on PubMed →

Retrospective 2-year multicenter study of 488 elbow fractures in children under 15 across 11 hospitals in Okinawa, Japan. Characterizes fracture type distribution, operative rates by classification grade, age and sex patterns, seasonal variation, and leading injury mechanisms by age subgroup. Provides a Japanese regional comparison against Western epidemiologic benchmarks.

Study Snapshot

Design
Retrospective multicenter cohort
Setting: 11 hospitals in Okinawa, Japan
Funding: None
Objective
Determine whether pediatric elbow fracture epidemiology in subtropical Okinawa differs from prior international series.
Outcome(s)
Fracture type distribution, operative rate by fracture type and classification grade
Subjects
488 elbow fractures, children under 15 years old
Inclusion
  • Children under 15 years old
  • Elbow fracture presenting to 11 Okinawa hospitals
  • January 2015 to December 2016
Exclusion
  • Pathological fractures
  • Birth fractures and stress fractures
  • Re-fractures within 6 months; complete growth plate closure
Follow-up
Not applicable (cross-sectional epidemiologic study)
Statistics
Descriptive statisticsFrequency analysis

Key Findings

  • Supracondylar fractures were the most common type at 43.8%, but lateral condyle fractures at 22.3% were roughly double the 9–12% rate seen in Western series. The authors attribute this to a more varus elbow alignment in Japanese children, which increases vulnerability to the hyperextension-varus mechanism that produces lateral condyle injuries.
  • Gartland grade is the operative decision point for supracondylar fractures:
    –Grade I: 0% operative rate
    –Grade II: 50.5% operative rate
    –Grade III: 100% operative rate
    –These thresholds map directly to board-testable treatment algorithms.
  • Medial epicondyle fractures had the highest operative rate of any fracture type at 85.7% — even Watson-Jones Grade I carried an 81.8% operative rate. The authors explain this through growing evidence that medial capsular ligament disruption (not fragment displacement alone) drives joint instability, making operative fixation increasingly favored.
  • The Watson-Jones classification grades medial epicondyle fractures and predicts operative rate:
    –Grade I: 81.8%
    –Grade II: 94.1%
    –Grade III: 100%
    –Grade IV: 100%
    –Grade I having an 81.8% operative rate is the counterintuitive finding here. These injuries look minor on X-ray but carry significant instability risk.
  • In 6–10 year olds, skateboarding and caster-boarding was the #1 single mechanism at 19% of all fractures in that group, occurring 4.9× more often than bicycle injuries. This finding supports targeted prevention (elbow pads, technique education) for this specific age and activity combination.
  • Seasonal distribution was nearly flat: 246 summer vs. 243 winter fractures. Strikingly different from the 2.5–2.7× summer excess in northern-latitude studies. The warm subtropical climate allows year-round outdoor activity, eliminating the summer spike seen elsewhere.
  • The overall operative rate was 44.1%. Olecranon fractures had the lowest operative rate at 10.2%, making them the most likely fracture type to be managed nonoperatively in a pediatric elbow injury presentation.
Board PearlMedial epicondyle fractures carry the highest operative rate of any pediatric elbow fracture at 85.7% — medial stabilizer disruption, not displacement alone, drives this.

Clinical Relevance

A child aged 6–10 presents after a fall while skateboarding with a swollen elbow — this cohort tells you that board sports are the top single mechanism in that age group, not bikes, and that the fracture is most likely supracondylar or lateral condyle.

When you see a medial epicondyle fracture, don't be reassured by 'minimal displacement.' Even Watson-Jones Grade I fractures were operated on 81.8% of the time in this series, because the key driver of instability is medial capsular ligament disruption. Not the fragment position itself. Assess for ulnar nerve function and valgus instability before committing to nonoperative management.

The Wadsworth and Gartland classifications are not just academic. They function as operative decision thresholds in practice. Gartland III is 100% operative. Wadsworth III is 100% operative. Grade II for both sits in the shared-decision zone (roughly 50–77%).

The near-flat seasonal distribution here is a useful reminder that epidemiology is population-specific. The 2.5–2.7× summer excess from Danish and Canadian data does not apply in subtropical or year-round warm climates.

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|

Epidemiology of Paediatric Elbow Fractures: a Retrospective Multi-Centre Study of 488 Fractures

·J Child Orthop·2019·62 citations·Pediatrics
Free Full Text·DOI·PubMed
SummaryAbstract on PubMed →

Retrospective 2-year multicenter study of 488 elbow fractures in children under 15 across 11 hospitals in Okinawa, Japan. Characterizes fracture type distribution, operative rates by classification grade, age and sex patterns, seasonal variation, and leading injury mechanisms by age subgroup. Provides a Japanese regional comparison against Western epidemiologic benchmarks.

Study Snapshot

Design
Retrospective multicenter cohort
Setting: 11 hospitals in Okinawa, Japan
Funding: None
Objective
Determine whether pediatric elbow fracture epidemiology in subtropical Okinawa differs from prior international series.
Outcome(s)
Fracture type distribution, operative rate by fracture type and classification grade
Subjects
488 elbow fractures, children under 15 years old
Inclusion
  • Children under 15 years old
  • Elbow fracture presenting to 11 Okinawa hospitals
  • January 2015 to December 2016
Exclusion
  • Pathological fractures
  • Birth fractures and stress fractures
  • Re-fractures within 6 months; complete growth plate closure
Follow-up
Not applicable (cross-sectional epidemiologic study)
Statistics
Descriptive statisticsFrequency analysis

Key Findings

  • Supracondylar fractures were the most common type at 43.8%, but lateral condyle fractures at 22.3% were roughly double the 9–12% rate seen in Western series. The authors attribute this to a more varus elbow alignment in Japanese children, which increases vulnerability to the hyperextension-varus mechanism that produces lateral condyle injuries.
  • Gartland grade is the operative decision point for supracondylar fractures:
    –Grade I: 0% operative rate
    –Grade II: 50.5% operative rate
    –Grade III: 100% operative rate
    –These thresholds map directly to board-testable treatment algorithms.
  • Medial epicondyle fractures had the highest operative rate of any fracture type at 85.7% — even Watson-Jones Grade I carried an 81.8% operative rate. The authors explain this through growing evidence that medial capsular ligament disruption (not fragment displacement alone) drives joint instability, making operative fixation increasingly favored.
  • The Watson-Jones classification grades medial epicondyle fractures and predicts operative rate:
    –Grade I: 81.8%
    –Grade II: 94.1%
    –Grade III: 100%
    –Grade IV: 100%
    –Grade I having an 81.8% operative rate is the counterintuitive finding here. These injuries look minor on X-ray but carry significant instability risk.
  • In 6–10 year olds, skateboarding and caster-boarding was the #1 single mechanism at 19% of all fractures in that group, occurring 4.9× more often than bicycle injuries. This finding supports targeted prevention (elbow pads, technique education) for this specific age and activity combination.
  • Seasonal distribution was nearly flat: 246 summer vs. 243 winter fractures. Strikingly different from the 2.5–2.7× summer excess in northern-latitude studies. The warm subtropical climate allows year-round outdoor activity, eliminating the summer spike seen elsewhere.
  • The overall operative rate was 44.1%. Olecranon fractures had the lowest operative rate at 10.2%, making them the most likely fracture type to be managed nonoperatively in a pediatric elbow injury presentation.
Board PearlMedial epicondyle fractures carry the highest operative rate of any pediatric elbow fracture at 85.7% — medial stabilizer disruption, not displacement alone, drives this.

Clinical Relevance

A child aged 6–10 presents after a fall while skateboarding with a swollen elbow — this cohort tells you that board sports are the top single mechanism in that age group, not bikes, and that the fracture is most likely supracondylar or lateral condyle.

When you see a medial epicondyle fracture, don't be reassured by 'minimal displacement.' Even Watson-Jones Grade I fractures were operated on 81.8% of the time in this series, because the key driver of instability is medial capsular ligament disruption. Not the fragment position itself. Assess for ulnar nerve function and valgus instability before committing to nonoperative management.

The Wadsworth and Gartland classifications are not just academic. They function as operative decision thresholds in practice. Gartland III is 100% operative. Wadsworth III is 100% operative. Grade II for both sits in the shared-decision zone (roughly 50–77%).

The near-flat seasonal distribution here is a useful reminder that epidemiology is population-specific. The 2.5–2.7× summer excess from Danish and Canadian data does not apply in subtropical or year-round warm climates.

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