Presentation
Painful elbow following a fall
Patient Data
There is a lucent line across the distal humerus consistent with a supracondylar fracture. A line drawn along the anterior border of the humerus does not intersect the middle third of the capitellum, indicating that the fracture is somewhat posteriorly angulated.
A line drawn along the anterior border of the distal humerus (green) should intersect the long axis of the capitellum (purple) in the mid-third (area shaded light green).
In the setting of a painful elbow following a fall, if this line does not intersect the green area, but rather the red area then a supracondylar fracture should be suspected.
Case Discussion
Typical appearances of a supracondylar fracture in a child.