The Community Orthopaedic Surgeon Taking Trauma Call: Lateral Humeral Condyle Fracture Pearls and Pitfalls

Lateral condyle fractures are second only to supracondylar humeral fractures when it comes to pediatric elbow fractures. Whether minimally displaced or substantially displaced, these growth plate fractures may present significant treatment challenges. These include nonunion, malunion, avascular necrosis, and growth disturbance. It must be remembered that lateral condyle fractures often represent significantly displaced intra-articular fractures involving the epiphysis that demand anatomic reduction and stable internal fixation. This article focuses on some of the pertinent pearls and pitfalls regarding these common elbow injuries using ample clinical examples.