Radius head dislocation, epidemiology and effective factors in treatment and relapse

Abstract

Background: We aimed to provide an epidemiological description of radius head dislocation, effective factors in treatment and relapse. Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study was done using census method on all patients with 7 years of age and younger with radius head dislocation, who were admitted to the emergency department of Kashani hospital, Isfahan City, Iran, between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2015. Required data were gathered using a checklist consisting of questions regarding demographic data (age and sex), weight, trauma mechanism, affected arm, success rate of reduction maneuver, and the time of using the affected arm after reduction. Findings: During a 24-month period, 112 children with a mean age of 30.98 ± 13.18 months entered the study. 59 patients were boys (53), and the left arm was affected in 67 cases (60). Most of the patients with recurrence were over the 75th percentile for weight, and 18.75 of them had recurrence. The success rate of initial reduction maneuver was significantly less in patients with recurrence (P < 0.010). A delay of more than 24 hours was significantly associated with failure of initial reduction maneuver. Children with recurrence were significantly younger than those without recurrence. Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between overweight and recurrence of radius head dislocation. Recurrence had effect on the success rate of initial reduction maneuver. A delay of more than 24 hours was significantly associated with failure of initial reduction maneuver. Age had a relative risk for one or more recurrences. © 2018, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.