Traumatic Bowing of the Forearm in Children

Abstract

Traumatic bowing of the forearm bones in children is a definite clinical entity. The biomechanics of plastic deformations, previously reproduced in the dog ulna, explain the traumatic bowing found in these patients. Of eight children with traumatic bowing of the forearm, two had bowing of both radius and ulna without fracture; four, a bent ulna with an angulated mid-shaft radial fracture; and two, a bent radius with an angulated mid-shaft ulnar fracture. Manipulative reduction slightly decreased or left unchanged the angulation in the six patients with fracture; residual loss of complete supination and pronation was found in five of these patients. Reduction under general anesthesia corrected the bowing of both radius and ulna in one, while manipulative reduction decreased the radial and ulnar deformities in a second patient.