Is subclassification of Gartland extension-type pediatric supracondylar fracture into types IIA and IIB necessary for treatment decision? A result of pediatric orthopedist’s survey and review of literature

Extension-type pediatric supracondylar humeral fractures are very common. The Gartland classification is typically used to guide treatment. However, there is still no consensus on what factors should be used to subclassify the type II fractures and whether subclassification is needed to guide treatment. Therefore, we aim to explore the opinions of pediatric orthopedists on the treatment method of the Gartland type II supracondylar fracture. Specifically, we ask what factors are considered for their treatment decisions and whether subclassification is needed to guide treatment. An online questionnaire was developed and sent to the Thai Paediatric Orthopedics Society and Asia-Pacific Paediatric Orthopaedic Society members. The results were analyzed to explore the relationship between respondents’ demographic factors and treatment decisions. Out of 113 participants reached, 57 (50.4%) responded to the questionnaire. Factors chosen by respondents are stability testing intraoperatively (73.7%), the relationship of the anterior humeral line and capitellum (66.7%), the presence of rotation (50.9%), the presence of translation (47.4%), the presence of medial comminution 42.1%), soft tissue condition(38.6%), the shaft – condylar angle (31.6%), and the Bauman angle (21.1%). Thirty-three of 57 respondents (57.9%) deemed subclassification for Gartland type II necessary for guiding treatment. About half of respondents in our study deemed the current Gartland type II subclassification necessary to guide treatment, which may indicate that the subclassification might not be sufficiently comprehensive and reliable. Therefore, better criteria for a subclassification and a prospective evaluating study might be needed.