RESUMO
Displaced pediatric forearm fractures often are treated with closed reduction and immobilization. Recent literature demonstrates no difference in maintaining alignment or needing repeat intervention in patients immobilized with either a single sugar-tong splint or a long-arm cast, but most series include patients with distal fractures. This study included patients 3 to 15 years old who underwent closed reduction and immobilization for displaced midshaft or proximal forearm fractures. Radiographs from the time of injury, after reduction, and at 4-week follow-up were reviewed for coronal and sagittal plane angular alignment. Secondary interventions also were recorded. A total of 121 patients (70 long-arm cast, 51 simple sugar-tong splint) met inclusion criteria. Groups were matched in terms of age (P=.95), sex (P=.41), body mass index (P=.12), and angular deformity prior to reduction in the sagittal (P=.78) and coronal (P=.83) planes. Following closed reduction, sagittal (P=.003) and coronal (P=.002) alignment improved significantly in all patients. At 4-week follow-up, there were no significant differences in sagittal (P=.15) or coronal (P=.68) alignment between the 2 groups. Nine patients underwent a secondary intervention after the index reduction (long-arm cast, n=7; simple sugar-tong splint, n=2), with no statistically significant difference between groups (P=.30). There were no statistically significant differences between patients managed with long-arm cast or simple sugar-tong splint regarding residual sagittal or coronal plane deformity at 4-week follow-up or incidence of secondary intervention. These findings indicate simple sugar-tong splint and long-arm cast appear to be acceptable and equivalent methods of immobilization for these injuries. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(2):e178-e182.].