[Follow-up study of femoral shaft fractures in children (author's transl)]

Abstract

Out of a series of 117 children (age 0-14 years) with femoral shaft fractures 65 patients were followed-up at an average of 10 years after injury. Examination was performed with special regard to torsion deformities and complaints or roentgenologically detectable prearthrotic changes. Individual differences in anteversion angle were found frequently, but there was no correlation to any complaints. The average anteversion angle of all injured and of all non injured femurs showed no difference and all values were found to be in physiological range. Our long-term results indicate, that unilateral wire traction is a sufficient way to obtain excellent results in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in children.