Radiographic Spectrums of Adults with Traumatic Femoral Shaft Fracture in the South-West, Nigeria.

Background: Femoral shaft fracture injuries are common in our environment. The weight-bearing function of the femur makes its damage important in the young and adult population, as it leads to prolonged immobilization and hospitalization, which may result in pulmonary embolism and even death.

Objectives: To determine the relationship between the mechanism of injury and the patterns of fractures on the plain radiographs of adults with femoral shaft fractures.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 390 adults with 402 femoral shaft fractures at three tertiary hospitals' Surgical Emergency and Orthopedics units was carried out over one year using plain radiographs. The demographics, fracture etiology, fracture site, and associated injuries were evaluated. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 23.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA).

Results: The mean age was 40.93 (SD=16.3) years. Road traffic accidents (82.8%) were the commonest etiology, while mid-shaft fracture (52.2%) and comminuted fractures (36.3%) were the most common fracture sites and fracture patterns, respectively. Soft tissue injuries were commonly associated.

Conclusion: Road traffic accident was the most common cause of femoral shaft fracture. The pattern of femoral fractures varied with age and the etiology of injury. Reducing road traffic accidents is key to decreasing femoral shaft fractures worldwide. The prompt assessment of femoral shaft fracture will enhance its effective management, reducing mortality and morbidity in affected individuals.