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  • Title: [Use of unilateral external fixation in pediatric femur shaft fracture within the scope of polytrauma].
    Author: Klein W, Pennig D, Brug E.
    Journal: Unfallchirurg; 1989 Jun; 92(6):282-6. PubMed ID: 2749268.
    Abstract:
    Femoral fractures in children are mostly managed conservatively. The recommended methods are overhead traction, 90/90 degree traction on a special table (Weber) and skeletal traction in a Thomas splint or on a Brown's frame. This treatment proves cumbersome in most multiply injured children, especially in those with head injury. Due to uncooperative behaviour the fracture is difficult to hold in an acceptable position. Therefore, operative treatment has been favoured by several authors in the past. Over a period of 8 years, 167 adolescent multiple trauma victims were treated in our institution, 48% of whom had sustained femoral fractures. Since June 1985 such fractures have been stabilized with the unilateral De Bastiani external fixator as the primary and definitive treatment. Our first series consists of ten children (eight male, two female) with a total of eleven fractures, aged 3.2-15 years, mean age 8.1 years. Nine fractures were closed and two compound. Nine fractures were fixed on the day of injury and two 2 days after injury. Depending on the patient's age and the level of the fracture, controlled overriding of 10-15 mm was performed to compensate for expected overgrowth. All fractures healed in an average time of 11 weeks. Free hip and knee movement was achieved in all cases 6 weeks after removal of frame. Neither refracture nor deep infection was seen in any of these patients. Compared with internal fixation, use of this device is less invasive and requires a very short operating time. The fixator can be removed as an outpatient procedure with no need for an anaesthetic.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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