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Pediatric femoral shaft fractures treated in infants showed excellent healing within six weeks. Long-term follow-up revealed significant bone overgrowth in most cases, which self-corrected rotational deformities.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Pediatric trauma
Context:
- Femoral shaft fractures are common in infants and young children.
- Assessing long-term outcomes of pediatric femoral shaft fracture treatment is crucial.
- Understanding factors influencing bone overgrowth and axis correction is important for clinical practice.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the long-term outcomes of femoral shaft fractures in infants treated with a specific method.
- To analyze the incidence and influencing factors of bone overgrowth after pediatric femoral shaft fracture healing.
- To determine the rate of spontaneous correction of angular and rotational deformities.
Summary:
- Thirty infants (1-3 years old) with femoral shaft fractures were followed for 12 years post-treatment.
- Fractures healed within six weeks in all cases, with 73% exhibiting an average of 13 mm of bone overgrowth.
- Fracture localization and shortening during healing influenced overgrowth; axis deviations up to 15 degrees corrected spontaneously.
Impact:
- This study highlights the potential for significant bone overgrowth following pediatric femoral shaft fractures.
- It suggests that conservative management can lead to excellent functional and radiographic outcomes, including spontaneous correction of deformities.
- Findings inform orthopedic surgeons about expected long-term bone remodeling and deformity correction in pediatric femoral shaft fractures.
Abstract:
30 infants, one to three years old, with femoral shaft fractures were follow-up examined 12 years after the accident. In all those case it led within the described treatment to a beloadable healing of the fractures within six weeks. In 73% overgrowth could be noticed, which was on average of 13 mm. As factors which exercise an influence on the overgrowth the localisation of the fracture and the shortening during the healing-process can be called. Failures of the axes up to 15 degrees were completely corrected. Based on the clinical results a spontaneous correction of rotation failures can be accepted.