Treatment Of Supracondylar Fractures Closed Reduction And Circular Ring External Fixation Versus Open Reduction and Internal Fixation

The purpose of this study is to compare patients who undergo ORIF versus circular external fixation for supracondylar humerus fractures in children ages 12-18. We are asking parental permission to collect information about their child's injury, x-rays, obtain ROM measures, collect input from questionnaires, and review other medical information relating to the injury. The study is NOT about randomizing subjects to treatment, rather we are asking permission to keep track of the decisions that are made about our population's treatment and how it impacts their recovery. The eligibility criteria is subject's between 12 and 18 years, if supracondylar/periarticular humerus fracture needed operative fixation, and the fracture is unable to be treated with percutaneous skeletal fixation. Patients will be excluded if they have had a previous elbow injury, Osteogenesis imperfecta or another fragile bone disease, elbow stiffness from another cause, or any pre-existing arm weakness. The outcome measures all enrolled subjects will complete are the QuickDASH and the Pediatric and Adolescent Outcomes Instruments (PODCI). The QuickDASH is a shortened version of the DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) Outcome Measure which is intended to measure symptoms and functions in people with musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb. The QuickDASH is valid and reliable and is used for clinical and research purposes. The PODCI is designed to assess patients overall health, pain and ability to participate in normal daily activities in patients under 19 years of age. We will only distribute both questionnaires to the subjects and we are not collecting parent perception.