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Evidence-based review: management of open pediatric fractures
James Lee Pace1, Mininder S Kocher, David L Skaggs
1Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA. leepace@gmail.com
Insights
Pediatric open fractures are rare, with limited high-quality studies guiding treatment. This review synthesizes available literature to offer evidence-based recommendations for managing these injuries in children.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Pediatric trauma care
Background:
- Open fractures in children are uncommon.
- Limited high-level evidence exists for pediatric open fracture management.
- Existing recommendations often extrapolate from adult studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current literature on pediatric open fractures.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for the care of open fractures in the pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of available studies on pediatric open fractures.
- Analysis of evidence levels for existing recommendations.
Main Results:
- Scarcity of high-level studies specific to pediatric open fractures.
- General consensus suggests better outcomes in children compared to adults.
- Significant gaps in evidence-based guidelines for pediatric care.
Conclusions:
- Further research is needed to establish robust guidelines for pediatric open fractures.
- Current recommendations should be interpreted with caution due to limited pediatric-specific evidence.
- Evidence-based practice for pediatric open fractures requires more dedicated study.
Abstract:
Open fractures in the pediatric population are rare. As such, recommendations for care based on high-level studies are scarce. Furthermore, most level I and II recommendations come from studies involving open fractures in adults. Although it is generally accepted that open pediatric fractures have better outcomes than open fractures in adults, the lack of quality studies provide ample opportunities to answer questions regarding care of these injuries. This review explores the available literature and gives corresponding recommendations based on the level of evidence.
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