[Late results following tibial fractures in childhood]

At the Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Munich, 440 children between 2 months and 16 years old were treated for lower leg fractures between 1976 and 1985. In 93% of the cases, conservative therapy was administered. Between 2 and 12 years later, 110 patients (including all of those in whom the course was complicated) underwent a follow-up examination. Very good and good results were found in 76.4% of cases and satisfactory results in 18.2%. Unsatisfactory findings such as discrepancies in leg length and the consequences of compartment syndrome were found in 5.4%. Our results support the conservative treatment of such fractures; if there are special indications, the course of therapy can be supplemented effectively by osteosynthesis.