Current concepts in pediatric femur fracture treatment

Femoral neck fractures require urgent evacuation of intracapsular hematoma, anatomic reduction, and secure fixation with screws and cast immobilization. Extracapsular trochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures are best treated by fixed angle devices (locked plates or dynamic screw and side plate). "Length stable" low energy shaft fractures with minimal displacement or < 2 cm of shortening on presentation, are treated with one-leg spica casting (if the patient weighs < or = 50 lb. "transportable"). Unstable, complex (multifragmentary) and significantly displaced high energy shaft fractures are treated operatively. Transverse or short oblique shaft fractures in patients < 12 years may be treated with elastic intramedullary nails. Bridge plating will provide better stability in complex fractures. Children > 12 years have less risk of vascular disturbance to the proximal physis, and should have lateral transtrochanateric entry locked rigid nails. Fractures with severe soft tissue injuries could be temporized with external fixation. Distal physis and epiphyseal injuries require anatomical reduction and smooth wires and/or screw fixation (placed in such a way as to minimize further damage to the physis) and need to be augmented with a brace. Leg-length discrepancy is not a significant clinical problem in operatively treated patients. We recommend hardware removal after complete fracture healing, usually in 6 to 12 months. Implants left in the growing child could become buried deep inside of the bone, or cause "periprosthetic" fractures and/or eventually impede adult reconstruction. Minimal risks are reported for hardware removal in healthy patients with healed fractures (4 cortices bridged).