title: Management of femoral shaft fractures in the adolescent.
abstract: Forty-four patients (45 fractures) with open physes (age range 11-16 years) underwent treatment for femoral shaft fractures. Seven malunions occurred in the 24 fractures in the nonoperative group; none occurred in the 21 fractures treated by intramedullary nailing. Hospital stay was significantly shorter in the operatively treated patients. There was no premature growth arrest in the surgical group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma City 73190.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Herndon
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Mahnken
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Yngve
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001858:Bone Nails; D002370:Casts, Surgical; D002648:Child; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014143:Traction; D014945:Wound Healing