title: Complication rate after operative treatment of paediatric femoral neck fractures.
abstract: Paediatric fractured neck of femur injuries is rare and historically has high complication rates postoperatively. We present results from the Birmingham Children's Hospital. Fifteen displaced femoral neck fractures were identified in 14 children over a 10-year period (1997-2006). Mean age at the time of injury was 10 years (range 6-14 years). Mean follow-up was 31 months (range 6-110 months). Anatomical reduction and internal fixation was performed in all cases. Two fractures were classified as Delbet's type-I (13.3%), four type-II (26.7%), six type-III (40%) and three type-IV fractures (20%). Eleven patients were operated on within 24 h (range 4-19 h) and four after 24 h (range 2-11 days). The rate of avascular necrosis was 6.7% overall and 10% excluding pathological fractures. The rate of premature physeal closure was 33.3% overall and 40% excluding pathological fractures. Ninety-three percent of the total study population had a good result according to the Ratliff scoring system. There were no nonunions. One patient had a poor result with avascular necrosis and collapse.
authors.affiliation: Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nayeemuddin
authors.forename: Gordon A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bache
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'hara
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Glitheroe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017760:Bone Malalignment / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005271:Femur Head Necrosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000002:abnormalities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology