Femoral Shaft Fractures in Children: Exploring Treatment Outcomes and Implications

Introduction: Femoral shaft fractures significantly impact children and families, posing a significant challenge for pediatric patients. The prevalence of limb shortening in femur shaft fractures treated with hip spica casting in our group, however, has not been the subject of many recent investigations. Aims: By comparing the prevalence of limb shortening to various age groups and common pediatric injury patterns, this research seeks to close this information gap. Methods: This research, which lasted six months and was done at the Orthopedics Unit of Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan, included 129 children with closed femur shaft fractures who were between the ages of one and six. Clinical assessments, radiological examinations, and hip spica casting, all supervised by experienced orthopedic surgeons, were carried out. Senior postgraduate trainees oversaw the study's findings. Results: The results unveiled key insights into the study population. Among the findings, 33% (n=43) of the children were aged one to three years, while 67% (n=86) fell within the three to six years age range. Gender distribution revealed that 72% (n= 93) were male. In terms of mechanism, 22% (n=28) of fractures were attributed to road traffic accidents, 69% (n=89) were the result of falls, and 5% (n=12) were due to other causes. Notably, 19% (n=29) of the children exhibited limb shortening. Conclusion: This study contributes significantly to the understanding of femur shaft fractures in children, shedding light on their complex dynamics. The study enhances our understanding of pediatric femur shaft fractures. We found that 19% of children exhibited limb shortening, underscoring the need for targeted treatment strategies. These insights can significantly improve patient care and treatment protocols for this challenging condition, benefiting both children and their families.