Related Experiment Videos
Children's femoral fractures: the Edinburgh experience
J R Sutcliffe1, D Wilson-Storey, G A Mackinlay
1Department of Paediatric Surgery, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Insights
Pediatric femoral fractures are common. A 10-year review of a management protocol using gallows traction or Liston splintage showed it to be a reliable treatment with minimal complications and long-term disability.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Pediatric trauma
Background:
- Femoral fractures are a frequent cause of pediatric trauma admissions.
- Current management involves gallows traction for infants and Liston splintage for older children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness and complication rates of a pediatric femoral fracture management protocol.
- To assess long-term residual disability in children treated with this protocol.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 323 cases over 10 years.
- Prospective study of 143 patients 5-10 years post-fracture to assess residual disability.
Main Results:
- The management protocol demonstrated high reliability.
- The treatment resulted in a minimum of complications.
- Long-term follow-up showed minimal residual disability.
Conclusions:
- The established management protocol for pediatric femoral fractures is effective.
- This treatment approach is simple, reliable, and associated with good long-term outcomes.
Abstract:
Femoral fracture is a relatively common cause of trauma admission to the paediatric surgical services in Edinburgh. Our current policy is to use gallows traction for babies and infants under 2 years and external Liston splintage with straight leg balanced skin traction for older children followed by either early mobilization or the application of a hip spica or cast brace. We reviewed the use of this management protocol over a 10-year period (323 cases) in order to assess its value and complications. A prospective study was made of 143-patients between 5 and 10 years after their fracture to assess residual disability. We found our management protocol to be a simple, highly reliable method of treatment with a minimum of complications or long-term disability.