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Pediatric femoral shaft fractures secondary to tombstone uprooting - Two case reports
Malik Ali1, Kedar Padhye1, Luke Gauthier1
1Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Dalhousie University, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Insights
Tombstones can cause unique femoral shaft fractures in children. Prompt medical treatment, including surgery or non-surgical methods, led to bone healing in both reported pediatric cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Trauma Surgery
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Femoral shaft fractures are common pediatric injuries.
- Mechanisms of injury vary, but tombstone-related incidents are rarely reported.
Observation:
- Two pediatric patients (ages 4 and 6) sustained femoral shaft fractures.
- Both children had histories of playing with and toppling tombstones, leading to the injury.
Findings:
- The study details treatment approaches, including non-operative and operative interventions.
- Both patients achieved bony union within three months of follow-up.
Implications:
- Highlights tombstones as a unique and preventable cause of pediatric femoral shaft fractures.
- Emphasizes the need for increased safety awareness around cemetery monuments and play areas.
- Suggests potential for primary prevention strategies to reduce such traumatic injuries.
Case:
Two cases are reported of femoral shaft fractures involving tombstones. A four and six year old child had similar histories of uprooting of tombstones during play, toppling them and causing injury. Treatment included non-operative and operative approaches, with both patients yielding bony union at the three month follow up.
Conclusion:
We present the involvement of tombstones as a unique mechanism of injury for femoral shaft fractures in two pediatric cases. From our review of the literature, we believe this to be a first report. We hope to highlight the associated safety implications for the primary prevention of a similar traumatic injury.
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