title: Overgrowth and correction of rotational deformity in 12 femoral shaft fractures in 3-6-year-old children treated with an external fixator.
abstract: We treated 11 young children (3-6 years old) who had uncomplicated femoral shaft fractures primarily with an external fixator. 9 children were available for follow-up and were evaluated for the amount of overgrowth and rotational deformity. All underwent a clinical examination and an MRI after mean 21 (13-25) months. The mean overgrowth was 0.4 (-0.3-1.1) cm and the anteversion angle showed a mean increase of 12 degrees, as compared to the contralateral femur. In 5 children with an anteversion angle difference of 10 degrees or more, a second MRI was done 4 years after the trauma. The mean anteversion angle difference of the femora in these 5 children had diminished from 15 degrees on the first MRI to 7.4 degrees on the second. 3 of the 5 children had a full correction of their rotational deformity. Growth did not correct the rotational deformity in the oldest child in this group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands. buchholz@worldonline.nl
authors.forename: Ivo M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Buchholz
authors.forename: Hugo W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Bolhuis
authors.forename: Frederik H L
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Bröker
authors.forename: Jan Willem C
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Gratama
authors.forename: Ralph J B
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sakkers
authors.forename: Wim H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Bouma
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005269:Femur / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016916:Joint Deformities, Acquired / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012399:Rotation