Median Nerve Entrapment in a Pediatric Both-Bone Forearm Fracture: Recognition and Management in the Acute Setting

Entrapment of the median nerve in pediatric both-bone forearm fractures is a rare occurrence, but there are multiple reports of such cases in the literature. This case report discusses the recognition and management of median nerve entrapment in a 13-year-old female who presented acutely with a bothbone forearm fracture and a reproducible neurologic deficit in the median nerve distribution. She was treated with acute open reduction and internal plate fixation and median nerve exploration. Her median nerve function was near normal 14 weeks after surgery. This report stresses the importance of a complete neurologic examination in all forearm fractures and demonstrates the recovery potential of a median nerve damaged by bony entrapment. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances  5(4):214–216, 2006)