title: Femural shaft fracture in a newborn infant treated with axial external fixator: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors present a case of femural shaft fracture inanewborn infant treated with axial external fixator.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient presented at the time of birth with a lumbar myelomeningocele and right femural shaft fracture. The common methods of treatment cannot be used, so 24 hours after birth before neurosurgery, we applied a Mini Penning Orthofix External Fixator for fracture stabilization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The external fixator was maintained for 30 days and removed after taking a radiograph that showed fracture healing. At the last follow-up (2 years), the patient did not present axial or torsional defects of right lower limb.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  External fixation is not a traditional method for treatment of femural shaft fractures in patients younger than 6 years, but we think that in some cases, when traditional methods (splinting, cast, Pavlik harness) cannot be used, an external fixator is also a good option in patients younger than 2 years and in newborn infants.
authors.affiliation: Traumatology Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. ldandrea@unime.it
authors.forename: Letterio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
authors.forename: Nunzio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Catena
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome