Hip fractures in children and adolescents

Femoral neck fractures account for <1% of the fractures in children, and are produced by high energy trauma. The most commonly accepted treatment for such fractures is gentle manual anatomical reduction and internal fixation, yielding a healing rate between 80% and 90%.

Electronic search through major web databases (Medline, Cochrane and Google Scholar). All types of article were eligible for inclusion, except for reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and case reports. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Methodological Index for NOn-Randomized Studies (MINORS).

Both open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and closed reduction and internal fixation (CRIF) can be used to manage hip fractures in paediatric patients. ORIF is more accurate in reducing and fixing the fracture, with better clinical and functional outcomes, and lower complication rate. Delayed fixation decreases the rate of acceptable outcome and increases the rate of complications.

The methodological quality of the included studies is average-low, and the published evidence is not of sufficient quality to allow to draw final conclusion on the topic.

Good results were reported for both ORIF and CRIF techniques, but are not supported by scientific evidence of adequate quality. More and better studies, including randomized trials, should be carried out to provide more scientifically evidence based conclusions.