Short Term Clinical, Functional and Radiological of Fixation of Paediatric Femoral Shaft Fracture by Titanium Elastic Nail in Paediatric Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Femoral shaft fracture is the most common major paediatric orthopaedic. For generations traction and casting was the standard treatment for all femoral shaft fractures in children. Elastic stable intramedullary nailing is one for treating these fractures and has a reliable methodology. Over the past two decades the advantages of fixation and rapid mobilisation have been increasingly recognised. Objective: To evaluate the short term clinical, functional and radiological outcome of intramedullary fixation of displaced femoral shaft fractures in skeletally immature children using titanium elastic nails. Methods: A prospective study was conducted in the Department of Ortho Surgery, National Institute of traumatology and orthopedic rehabilitation (NITOR), Dhaka, Bangladesh from July to December 2020. 52 femoral shaft fractures in child aged 6-14 years were fixed with titanium intramedullary elastic nail in the department of Orthopaedics, NITOR, Bangladesh. Two nails of proper and equal diameter were used for fracture fixation. No external splint was used after surgery. Outcomes assessed on the basis of Flynn et al., scoring criterion. Results: The results of the 52 included in our study. All patients achieved complete healing at a mean of 9.1 (Range 8- 10) weeks. 44 fractures were reduced by closed means but 8 needed open reduction. No major complication was recorded. Most common minor complication was entry site skin irritation recorded in 8 patients. 84.61% had excellent result and 15.38% had satisfactory. Conclusion: The treatment of paediatric shaft femur fracture has been drastically changed over the last two decades to internal fixation by elastically stable intra- medullary nail (ESIN). It allows early ambulation and shorter hospital stay and higher parent satisfaction. It also provides flexural, translational and rotational stability as well.