Introduction:

Supracondylar humerus fractures in children are generally treated surgically, through closed or open reduction associated with placement of the wires. For its part, external fixation is an accepted option in certain circumstances.

Objective:

To update on the use of external fixation in patients with supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children.

Methods:

The search and analysis of the information was carried out in a period of 61 days (June 1st to July 31st, 2023) and the following words were used: pediatric supracondylar humeral fractures AND external fixation, external fixation AND elbow, complex fractures AND pediatric supracondylar. Based on the information obtained, a bibliographic review of a total of 177 articles published in the PubMed, Hinari, SciELO and Medline databases was carried out using the EndNote search engine and reference administrator. Of these, 34 selected citations were used to carry out the review, 32 of the last five years.

Results:

References are made to the indications and contraindications, in addition to the advantages of external fixation. The main differences between Kirschner wire fixation and external fixation are mentioned. The technique is exposed in five steps. Postoperative care, complications and comments on the results are reflected.

Conclusions:

External fixation is an effective treatment modality for pediatric patients with complex fracture patterns. It is a feasible technique to perform and reproduce. The results are equal or superior when compared with other surgical modalities.

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