When I was a kid, I broke my arm. The doctor put me in the hospital with traction and sent me home later in a cast. Our son just broke the same elbow in the same way I did (bike accident) but they did surgery instead. Don’t they use traction anymore?

Elbow fractures can be very complex and difficult to treat. There is an increased risk of problems such as blood loss or compartment syndrome from blood vessel and/or nerve damage.

Treatment must be geared toward protecting the blood supply, nerve tissue, and the elbow joint. Traction used to be the standard management tool used for this type of fracture. But the treatment takes two to three weeks. And the rising costs of hospitalization prevent its use.

Surgery to reduce the fracture and stabilize it with pins, wires, and a cast reduce hospitalization to an outpatient procedure. At most, the child may need to stay overnight for observation. Many surgery centers offer 23-hour care to avoid the extra costs of hospitalization.