Abstract
All skeletally immature patients who presented with a supracondylar fracture between 01/09/2013 and 24/11/2015 (n = 50) were used to compare the current management of supra-condylar fractures of the humerus in children to the standards set by the BOAST 11 guidelines. 8.1% did not have full documentation of their neurovascular assessment. 93.9% underwent surgery within 24 hours of presentation. Average time to theatre for neurovascularly compromised patients was 4 hours 46 minutes. 81.8% were managed with 2 K-wires as recommended. Only 39.4% of the patients had their wires removed within 3 – 4 weeks. Only 6.1% had the recommended 2 mm wires. AO recommends the use of 2mm wires if 2 lateral wires are used whereas the BOAST 11 guideline recommends 2mm wires where possible. The results clearly demonstrate a need for further education and awareness of the BOAST 11 guidelines. Of particular interest is the documentation of patients' neurovascular status for appropriate management and for medico-legal purposes. Long term outcome comparison of surgical fixation with 2mm and 1.6mm wires would be useful to support the use of 2mm wires as recommended by the professional consensus in the BOAST 11 guidelines.
