A Supracondylar Humerus Fractures is a condition characterized by a break in the upper arm bone just above the elbow joint. This type of sickness in adults are relatively uncommon injuries, representing only approximately 3% of all fractures in adults. While relatively rare in adults it is one of the most common fractures to occur in children and is often associated with the development of serious complications.

There is the elbow joint comprises the union of 3 long bones which are the humerus (upper arm bone), the ulna and the radius (lower arm bones). The humerus has two bony prominences known as the epicondyles situated at the inner and outer aspect of the elbow. Just above the epicondyles is a region of the humerus bone known as the supracondylar region.

We live in a society with a growing elderly population and a young population in which extreme sports and high-speed motor transportation are popular; therefore, the incidence of these fractures is likely to increase. In young adults, most distal humerus fractures occur from high-energy trauma, sideswipe injuries, motor vehicle accidents, falls from heights, and gunshot wounds. In elderly persons with more osteoporotic bone, most of these injuries occur from falls.

It may be of a flexion type or an extension type, depending upon the displacement of the distal fragment of bone.

Extension type: The most common type, accounting for 80% of all  Supracondylar Humerus Fractures. The distal fragment is displaced posteriorly. Flexion type: The least common variety is the distal fragment displacing anteriorly relative to the proximal segment.

Displacements: The displacements may present in one of a number of ways: posterior shift, posterior tilt, lateral or medial shift, proximal shift or internal rotation.

There are three types based on the degree of separation of the fractured fragments.

• Type I: undisplaced or minimally displaced fractures.
• Type II: partially displaced and
• type III: fully displaced.

Supracondylar Humerus Fractures can vary in location, severity and type including, displaced fracture, un-displaced fracture, greenstick, comminuted etc.