[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":225},["ShallowReactive",2],{"content-site-settings":3,"medical-trial":99,"content-/results":141},{"_path":4,"_dir":5,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"en":8,"cy":42,"pa":60,"pl":71,"ro":82,"_id":93,"_type":94,"title":95,"_source":96,"_file":97,"_stem":98,"_extension":94},"/data/site","data",false,"",{"siteDetails":9,"siteLogo":13,"cookieControl":18,"mainNav":22,"footerContent":35},{"siteName":10,"siteUrl":11,"organisationName":12},"SCIENCE study","https://science.digitrial.com","University of Oxford",{"url":14,"alt":15,"width":16,"height":17},"science-logo@2x.png","The SCIENCE study",320,140,{"cookieModalTitle":19,"cookieModalText":20,"nonNecessaryCookiesUsed":21},"Cookies used on this site","This website only uses non-necessary cookies to remember where you are in the process and to learn about how people view the information. We do NOT use cookies that directly identify anyone. For the best experience please click Accept all below.",true,[23,26,29,32],{"title":24,"url":25},"Home","/",{"title":27,"url":28},"Accessibility statement","/accessibility",{"title":30,"url":31},"Privacy policy","/privacy",{"title":33,"url":34},"Cookie policy","/cookie-policy",{"footerLogo":36,"footerCol1":38,"footerCol2":39,"additionalInfo":40,"footerCol3":41},{"url":37,"alt":15,"width":16,"height":17},"science-footer-logo@2x.png","[Privacy policy](/privacy)\\\n[Cookie policy](/cookie-policy)\\\n[Accessibility statement](/accessibility)\\\n[Site map](/site-map)","**Address**\\\nKadoorie Centre for Critical Care Research and Education\\\nLevel 3, John Radcliffe Hospital\\\nHeadley Way\\\nHeadington\\\nOxford OX3 9DU","The SCIENCE Study was funded by National Institute for Health Research, Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme (ref: 17/18/02). The information contained in this website is for general information about the SCIENCE study and provided by the University of Oxford (Oxford Trauma and Emergency Care). The views expressed are those of the study authors and are not intended to be representative of the views of the funder, sponsor or other participating organisations.","**Telephone**\\\n+44 (0) 1865 223115\n\n**Oxford Trauma enquiries:**\\\noxfordtrauma@ndorms.ox.ac.uk\n\n**Twitter:**\\\n[@oxford_trauma](https://twitter.com/oxford_trauma)",{"siteDetails":43,"siteLogo":45,"cookieControl":47,"mainNav":50,"footerContent":58},{"siteName":44,"siteUrl":11,"organisationName":12},"Astudiaeth SCIENCE",{"url":14,"alt":46,"width":16,"height":17},"Cartref",{"cookieModalTitle":48,"cookieModalText":49,"nonNecessaryCookiesUsed":21},"Cwcis a ddefnyddir ar y safle hwn","Dim ond cwcis nad ydynt yn angenrheidiol sy'n cael eu defnyddio ar y wefan hon i gofio ble rydych chi yn y broses ac i ddysgu sut mae pobl yn gweld y wybodaeth. Nid ydym yn defnyddio cwcis sy'n adnabod unrhyw un yn uniongyrchol. 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Compare outcomes and recovery timelines for elbow injuries",[149,163,172,188,196],{"type":150,"sectionSettings":151,"title":155,"text":156,"image":157,"settings":161,"strapline":7},"page_header",{"textAlign":152,"sectionLabel":153,"theme":154},"left","Findings","secondary","# Results","Both treatments had the same recovery. Children whose arm healed naturally in a cast got better just as quickly as those who had surgery – and both groups returned to sports and music at about the same time. They also had similar levels of pain, hospital visits and time off school.",{"url":158,"width":159,"height":160,"alt":7},"science-header-image-11@2x.png",1100,720,{"imgPosition":162},"top",{"type":164,"sectionSettings":165,"text":167,"video":168},"text_and_video",{"textAlign":152,"sectionLabel":166},"Animation","## Watch the results animation",{"vimeoId":169,"videoTitle":170,"videoTranscript":171},"1106201868/0c801f9fdc","SCIENCE animation","A medial epicondyle fracture is a break on the inner side of the elbow where a small piece of bone gets damaged.\n\nEvery year, thousands of children around the world have this type of fracture.\n\nIn the past, doctors treated it in different ways.\n\nSome used a cast, allowing the bone to heal on its own. Others performed surgery, fixing the bone with screws or wires.\n\nHowever, families want to feel confident that surgery will really benefit their child before going ahead.\n\nTo find out if surgery was better than a cast researchers carried out the SCIENCE Study -\n short for Surgery or Cast for Injuries of the Epicondyle in Children’s Elbows.\n\nThe study involved 334 children aged 7 to 15 from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.\n\nAll had a displaced medial epicondyle fracture.\n\nA quarter had a particularly severe injury, where the elbow was initially dislocated.\n\nThe SCIENCE Study was a randomised trial.\n\nThis means each child had an equal chance of receiving either treatment.\n\nThe decision was made by chance (at random) – rather than by families or doctors – to make the comparison fair and ensure the results are trustworthy.\n\nHalf of the children wore a cast for four weeks, while the other half had surgery to fix the bone with screws or wires.\n\nDuring their recovery, children and families were asked about pain, how well they could use their arm, how many hospital visits they had, and how much school they missed.\n\nThe results showed that both treatments worked just as well - surgery did not lead to better recovery.\n\nChildren had similar levels of pain, used their arms in the same way and got back to sport as quickly.\n\nHowever, using a cast meant fewer operations, fewer complications, fewer days of school missed, and lower costs for families and the health system.\n\nSo, for children with this kind of elbow fracture, wearing a cast is just as effective as surgery - and comes with fewer risks, more school and lower costs.",{"type":173,"sectionSettings":174,"settings":176,"text":179,"image":180,"links":184},"text_and_image",{"textAlign":152,"sectionLabel":175},"What did the study find?",{"imgWidth":177,"imgPosition":178},"half-width","bottom","## What did the study find?\n\nOne in seven children who had surgery needed a second operation – usually to remove the screw that was holding the broken bone in place. In contrast, one in 45 children treated in cast needed an operation later to help the bone heal. \n\nOverall, treating the arm in a cast, allowing it to heal naturally,  meant fewer surgeries, fewer problems and lower costs for families and the NHS. \n\nIn conclusion, the findings support using a cast as the best way to treat children with a medial epicondyle fracture of the elbow.",{"url":181,"width":182,"height":183},"science-content-image-13@2x.png",920,660,[185],{"title":186,"url":187,"target":21,"external":21},"View Lancet article","https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02098-7/fulltext",{"type":189,"text":190,"sectionSettings":191,"componentName":194,"componentOptions":195},"text_and_component","## SCIENCE study recovery chart\n\nWhether children had surgery or were treated without it, their recovery was the same. At one year, we saw a very small difference, but it was far below the level patients can actually notice - what we call the 'minimal important difference.' In other words, surgery gave no benefit.",{"textAlign":192,"sectionLabel":193},"center","SCIENCE study recovery chart","StudyRecoveryChart",{"chartTitle":193},{"type":197,"sectionSettings":198,"settings":200,"text":7,"cards":204},"text_and_cards",{"textAlign":152,"sectionLabel":199},"Toolkit cards",{"headerLevel":201,"headerFontSize":201,"align":192,"maxCardsPerRow":202,"wholeClickable":6,"cardTheme":203,"cardBtnTheme":154},"3","2","primary",[205,213],{"type":206,"title":24,"summary":207,"image":208,"links":210},"card_image_text","Why did we do the SCIENCE study?",{"url":209,"width":160,"height":16},"science-card-image-3-2x.png",[211],{"title":212,"url":25,"target":6,"external":6},"Go to Home",{"type":206,"title":214,"summary":215,"image":216,"links":218},"Toolkit","Turn the SCIENCE findings into everyday practice.",{"url":217,"width":160,"height":16},"science-card-image-2-2x.png",[219],{"title":220,"url":221},"Go to Toolkit","/toolkit","content:pages:results.en.json","pages/results.en.json","pages/results.en",1791295228993]