Compression plating for child and adolescent femur fractures

Twenty-five children ranging in age from 6-16 years underwent AO compression plate fixation for treatment of a femur fracture. Generally, the most common reason for plate fixation was to simplify nursing care and rehabilitation of children with an associated severe head injury or polytrauma. Twenty-three fractures healed in 11 weeks on the average, most by periosteal bone formation. Leg length discrepancy was not a clinical problem. Nursing care and polytrauma rehabilitation were simplified in all children. We believe that plate fixation is a reasonable treatment option for femoral fracture care in children aged less than 11 years with severe head injury or associated polytrauma.