A Prospective Study on the Functional Outcome of Diaphyseal Fractures of Femur Treated with TENS Nailing in Pediatric age Group (5–15 years)

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of elastic stable intramedullary nailing titanium elastic nailing system (TENS) in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures among children (5–15 years) with particular importance to functional outcome and complications. METHODS: A hospital-based prospective study was conducted among 30 children with fracture shaft of femur who underwent elastic stable intramedullary nailing (TENS) in the department of Orthopaedics in Vinayaka Mission’s Kirupananda Variyar Medical College and Hospital, Salem. The study was conducted for a period of 2 years from January 2020 to December 2021. Postoperatively, the patients were followed up for clinical and radiological outcome and complications after internal fixation by Titanium elastic nailing at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year following surgery. Flynn criteria were used to assess the functional outcome during follow-up. To analyze the Data Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 21 is used. Categorical variables such as gender, side of fracture, and mode of injury are expressed as frequency and percentages. Continuous variables such as age and duration of surgery are expressed as mean (SD) or median (IQR). Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test for categorical variables and independent samples t-test was used to determine the association for continuous variables with functional and radiological outcomes. To be considered as statistically significant, the P-value should be <0.05. RESULTS: With regard to outcome based on Flynn criteria, excellent outcome was observed among 22 (73.3%) children and satisfactory outcome was observed among 8 (26.7%) children. None of the children had poor outcome. CONCLUSION: TENS is a safer and an effective procedure in terms of functional and radiological outcome among the children with fracture shaft of femur.