Response to injury in children with closed femur fractures.
Fifty children admitted with closed femur fracture as a single major injury were monitored for change in vital signs and hematocrit. Hypotension was not observed. No child required blood replacement. Only 33% of the children had a measurable change in hematocrit, averaging a four-point drop. There was a marked febrile response to injury in 80% of the children which lasted an average of 4 days. Children admitted with femur fractures who develop hypotension or rapid drop in hematocrit should be promptly evaluated for another source of blood loss.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D005596:Fractures, Closed / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006400:Hematocrit; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology; D007223:Infant