Femoral Shaft Fractures in Children (Subscribe)  

Archive Copy: - 1999 Annual Meeting Scientific Program. Femoral Fractures in Children and Adolescents: Consensus and Controversy
Moderator(s): James H. Beaty, MD, Memphis, TN Monday, February 8, 1999 SYMPOSIUM
James R Kasser, MD, Boston, MA Scott J Mubarak, MD, San Diego, CA Charles Turner Price, MD, Orlando, FL William W Robertson...

Archive Copy 2003: Femoral Fractures in Children and Adolescents: Consensus and Controversy

Historically, the vast majority of femur fractures in children have been treated with casting alone, or with traction followed by casting when there is a risk of excessive shortening. These methods have been very successful, although malunion and limb length inequality continue to occur in a small percentage of children....

eMedicine article on diaphyseal femur fractures.
Orthopedic surgeons often encounter diaphyseal femur fractures. Because these fractures most often result from high-energy trauma, one must have a high index of suspension for complications or other injuries.
Eastwood & Biggs 2008 updated

- account for approx 5% of all physeal fractures;
- displacement in sagittal plane is assoc with Neuro/Vascular injury in popliteal fossa and instability on closed reduction;
- common mechanism is hyperextension causing anterior displacement of epiphysis;
- displacement in coronal plane is not assoc with other injuries, & joint may be stable...

Medscape 2002. Reports from the OTA Conference. Features reports on arthroscopically assisted retrograde nailing of femur fractures in adults and treatment of femoral shaft fractures in children

Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics. Home Page and Reading list: Entry to over 30 topics relating to femoral shaft fracture and key references

Discssion of fractures of the shaft of the femur in children of different ages

Chip Rout: OTA Basic Fracture Course Femoral shaft fractures in children are a little difficult to deal with, especially if you are taking care of them sporadically and especially when they are associated with polytrauma. Expert

Illustrated account of setting up traction for femoral fractures in children and adults

Results A history suspicious for abuse, physical or radiographic evidence of prior injury, and age younger than 18 months were risk factors for abuse. Patients with no risk factors had a 4% chance, patients with one risk factor had a 29% chance, patients with two risk factors had an 87% chance,...

Part one of a tutorial for medical students.

The AAOS Board of Directors has adopted a new clinical practice guideline on the treatment of pediatric diaphyseal femur fractures. The guideline was developed by a workgroup under the AAOS Guidelines Oversight Commmittee.

Standardized form for operative reporting of skeletal traction

Also discusses whether to remove flexible nails from a patient with Osteogenesis Imperfecta