Patients presenting to the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital with supracondylar humerus (elbow) fractures will initially undergo closed reduction. Following the reduction procedure, radiographic imaging will be obtained and patients will be re-evaluated. If surgical intervention is deemed necessary based on this assessment, operative treatment will be recommended. The surgical technique will consist of closed reduction followed by percutaneous Kirschner wire (K-wire) fixation. In cases where adequate fracture reduction cannot be achieved by closed means, open reduction will be performed through an anterior incision. In these patients, K-wires will again be inserted percutaneously. Fixation will be achieved using one medial (ulnar side) and two lateral K-wires. Postoperatively, a neurological examination will be performed. In patients who are shown a video and taught the game beforehand, neurological assessment will be conducted using the "rock-paper-scissors" game. In other patients, the examination will be performed by demonstrating and requesting specific hand movements. If ulnar nerve deficit is detected during postoperative neurological evaluation, the medial K-wire will be removed. The time interval between the patient's emergence from anesthesia and the neurological examination will be recorded.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
102
Standard neurological examination performed by the clinician using conventional bedside assessment.
Participants in the smartphone-assisted group viewed a single standardized preoperative video-based training module delivered via YouTube (duration: 2 minutes 34 seconds).
Ankara Bilkent City Hospital
Ankara, Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
Postoperative neurological examination duration (minutes)
Time required to complete the neurological examination postoperatively, recorded in minutes.
Time frame: Immediately postoperatively after awakening in the recovery room
Preoperative neurological deficit (yes/no)
Presence of neurological deficit on examination (radial, ulnar, median, and anterior interosseous nerve function). Recorded as yes/no (frequency, %).
Time frame: Preoperatively in the emergency department (before surgery)
Preoperative neurological examination duration (minutes)
Time required to complete the neurological examination preoperatively, recorded in minutes.
Time frame: Preoperatively in the emergency department (before surgery)
Patient/parent satisfaction: Child Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (Child HCAHPS)
Satisfaction was measured with the Child Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (Child HCAHPS). Domain scores were calculated as mean values on a 1-4 Likert scale (min=1, max=4); higher scores indicate better satisfaction/better care experience.
Time frame: On the day the patients is discharged after surgery (typically the 2nd or 3rd day after the operation)
Postoperative neurological deficit (yes/no)
Presence of neurological deficit on examination (radial, ulnar, median, and anterior interosseous nerve function). Recorded as yes/no (frequency, %).
Time frame: Immediately postoperatively after awakening in the recovery room
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