Ulnar nerve palsy following a closed fracture of shaft of radius and ulna in a child

Abstract

Ulnar nerve paly is a rare condition after closed fractures of the radius and ulna. It can present as neuropraxia mostly, but nerve entrapment and laceration should also be kept in mind. The authors present a case of a 14-year-old boy who developed ulnar nerve palsy following a left radius and ulna midshaft fracture with significant angulation and displacement. Intra-operatively, the ulnar nerve was found trapped on a spike of the ulna. At 20 weeks follow up, the patient had a complete recovery from the ulnar nerve palsy. It is important to evaluate the patient properly before any procedure or manipulation and manage according to the type of lesion.