Purpose This study examined the one-year mortality after locking plate fixation for distal femur fractures and the risk factors related to death. Materials and Methods From July 2011 to June 2020, 128 patients who underwent locking plate fixation for distal femur fractures were analyzed retrospectively. Epidemiologic information of the patients, characteristics related to fracture and surgery, and death were investigated. The risk factors related to death were investigated using Cox analysis, and a subgroup analysis was also performed based on the age of 65 years. Results The one-year mortality rate after locking plate fixation for distal femur fractures was 3.9%, and the mortality rates in patients younger than 65 years and older than 65 years were 0% and 6.7%, respectively. There were no significant risk factors related to death in the total population. On the other hand, in patients aged 65 years or older, however, high-energy fracture and high comorbidity index increased the risk of death after surgery by 6.9-fold and 1.9-fold, respectively. Conclusion The one-year mortality rate for the total patients was 3.9%, but the mortality rate for patients over 65 years of age increased to 6.7%. High-energy fractures and high comorbidity index were risk factors related to death after surgery for distal femur fractures in patients aged 65 years or older.
PURPOSE This study was designed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness including bone union, leg length discrepancy, after retrograde flexible intramedullary nailing for pediatric femoral fractures.
MATERIAL AND METHOD: Nineteen cases (18 patients) with femur fracture at the age of 4 to 10 years (mean age 6.7) have been followed up over the minimum of one year. Under imaging intensifier, the fracture was temporarily reduced with manual traction, and 1 or 2 flexible nails were inserted at medial and lateral side of distal femur above the distal epiphysis. After two weeks of immobilization with long leg splint, joint motion was permitted. At 6-8 weeks, partial weight bearing was permitted, and at 10- 12 weeks, full weight bearing was permitted. RESULTS Time to radiologic union averaged 10.9 weeks. Limb length discrepancy ranged from 7mm of shortening to 6mm of overgrowth(mean ; 1.1mm of overgrowth), but there was no severe limb length discrepancy over 10mm. As another complications, there were one case of limited motion of knee joint and one case of broken nail. CONCLUSION We found that retrograde flexible intramedullary nailing is a safe, effective treatment for acute femoral shaft fractures in skeletally immature patients.
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Treatment of Femoral Shaft Fracture with Interlocking Humeral Nail in Older Children and Adolescent Kun-Bo Park, Hoon Park, Hyun-Woo Kim, Hui-Wan Park, Jae Young Roh Journal of the Korean Fracture Society.2010; 23(2): 206. CrossRef
The indications for surgical stabilization of a pediatric diaphyseal femur fracture are expanding Children with multiple systemic injury, a head injury, and/or with multiple fractures have fewer local and distant complications if the femur fracture is treated operatively. Other indications include a frac- ture in a child with a preexisting condition that prevents the application of a spica cast, a child older than 10 years of age, or a child less than 10 years of age who cannot be kept adequately aligned using conventional(traction/casting) methods of fracture management. Here closed intramedullary Ender nailing of 15 femoral fractures in 15 children, 7-13 years of age, was studied retrospectively. Seven patients had associated injuries. The average operation time was 40 minutes and hospitalization time averaged 16 days. There were no infections, nonunions, or malunions. On follow-up, average 27 months, no patient had deformity of over 8 degree in any plane. No patient had clinical loss of motion, leg length discrepancy, or radiographic evidence of growth disturbance. Here, authors Concluded that closed Ender nailing is very useful method in the management of femoral shaft fracture in children over 10 years old or when there is associated head injury or multiple fractures regardless of patients age.
The fracture of distal femur, which include the supracondylar region, intercondylar region and knee joint, have many problems by nature. It is almost all comminuted fracture and has a some difficulty in approach. Early attempts at internal fixation frequently gave unacceptably high rates of malunion, nonunion, and infection. Traditionally, nonsurgical treatment has been favored. Over the past 15 years, improved and meticulous techniques of internal fixation has been shown to yield good to excellent results. Also a number of excellent devices are now available.
We reviewed the patients who were admitted for fractures of the distal femur and were treated by the surgical treatments at department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chungbuk National University Hospital from July 1993 through Augrst 1994. Fourteen cases were followed for more than one year. An average age at operation was 54 years (range, 18-74 years). The analysis group consisted of 9 males and 5 females. The cause of injuries were motor cycle injury in 8 cases, in-car accident in 2 cases, pedestrian injury in 2 cases and fall down in 2 cases. According to the classifications of AO, 4 cases were type Al, 2 were type A2, 2 were type A3, Cl was 1 case, C2 were 2 cases and C3 were 3 cases. Open fractures were 2 cases. Blade plate was used in 10 cases and DCS(dynamic compression screw) in 4 cases. With serial follow-up X-ray, ROM of knee and Neers scoring system, evaluation was performed. Excellent or good results were obtained in 13 cases (93%). Deep infection was developed in one case. At last follow-up, ROM was satisfactory.
Blad plate was very useful for severe osteoporotic patient. For comminuted, displaced intra-articular fractures such as Type C, extensile surgical approach was most useful.
Not infrequently, Orthopaedic surgeons notice that fever following childrens femur fractures does not coincide with the laboratory findings. The authors agree that knowledge of the frequency, time of onset, duration, and magnitude would be helpful in accessing the significance of fever in the postinjury period. The authors reviewed 65 childrens femur fractures without infection under the 15 years old from March 1984 to December 1989 and following observations were made.
1. Fever developed in 32 patients(49%), but only in 7 patients(11%) significant fever elevation was found.
2. The mean onset of fever was 4 days after trauma, and the mean duration was 3 days.
3. The rate of fever occurrence increased In accordance with age.
4. Fever was least common in patients having oblique fracture.
5. Associated injuries were found more commonly in the febrile group.