Comparison between external fixation and elastic stable intramedullary nailing for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in children younger than 8 years of age.
The main objective of this study was to compare external fixation (EF) with elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in children aged 8 or younger. Fifteen children with femoral shaft fractures treated by EF and 23 children with femoral shaft fractures treated by ESIN were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were pain free at the last follow-up, with good ranges of motion in the hip and knee. Partial and full weight bearing occurred sooner in patients treated with EF than with ESIN, although more polytrauma patients were present in the ESIN group. In conclusion, EF and ESIN can be considered as safe and effective methods for femoral shaft fracture treatment in children younger than 8 years of age.
aDepartment of Pediatric Orthopedics, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Torino bDepartment of Pediatric Orthopedics, Istituto Ortopedico G. Pini, Milan, Italy cDepartment of Pediatric Surgey, University Hospital Estaing, Clermont Ferrand, France.
Antonio
A
Andreacchio
Lorenza
L
Marengo
Federico
F
Canavese
Leopoldo
L
Pedretti
Antonio
A
Memeo
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018483:Diaphyses; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006615:Hip / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009038:Motion; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000601:surgery