The definition and treatment of pediatric subtrochanteric femur fractures with titanium elastic nails.
OBJECTIVE
Titanium elastic nailing (TEN) has become more common in the treatment of pediatric femur fractures in many European centers and in North America over the past several years. Prior studies have shown that the use of TEN for midshaft femur fractures results in excellent outcomes with an earlier return to activity, earlier mobilization, and a shortened hospital stay. However, subtrochanteric femur fractures continue to remain a difficult subset of fractures to care for, with loss of reduction and nonunion being significant complications. Studies have differed regarding the definition of pediatric subtrochanteric femur fractures. The purpose of this study is to establish a reproducible method of defining pediatric subtrochanteric fractures and then apply that definition in a retrospective review of 13 patients who sustained subtrochanteric femur fractures treated with TEN at North Carolina Baptist Hospital using a modified technique that allows for improved fracture stability.


METHODS
Charts and radiographs were retrospectively reviewed for all pediatric patients sustaining subtrochanteric femur fractures treated with TEN from the period of 2000 to 2004 at Wake Forest University. The TEN outcome measures scale was applied to determine their results.


RESULTS
TEN allowed rapid mobilization with excellent or satisfactory clinical and radiographic results in all patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that the use of TEN for subtrochanteric femur fractures is a safe and effective method of fixation that benefits patients through early mobilization, shorter hospital stays, and fewer complications.


CONCLUSIONS
By applying the definition of subtrochanteric femur fractures described by the authors, results of future studies can be objectively compared and classified. TEN is a safe and effective alternative for treating most pediatric subtrochanteric fractures by decreasing the morbidity that occurs with other treatment modalities.
Pombo
Mathew William
MW
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1034, USA. jchase@lww.com
Shilt
Jeffrey S
JS