A Clinical Study on the Treatment of Femoral Shaft Fractures in Children: Immediate Hip Spica Cast Immobilization

Cho, Hyoun Oh; Ko, Chul Eun; Kwak, Kyung Duk; Cho, Sung Do; Lee, Jae Hak

Abstract

The traditional treatment for the femoral shaft fractures in children is closed reduction by continuous traction, usually for 2-3 weeks, until the fracture has achieved partial stability, followed by spica cast immobilization. Fifty three cases, from 3 to 10 years of age, has been treated with closed reduction and immediate application of hip spica csst; all of them were closed fractures of femoral shaft and were not associated with head, abdominal, or vascular injuries. Any angulations in excess of acceptable ranges were corrected with wedging the cast; any overridings in excess of acceptable ranges were corrected by skeletal traction for 1 week, followed by incorporation of the pin to the cast. The resultant overriding and angulation of fragments were within acceptable ranges, and complications were not significant.This method of treatment not only is likely easy in nursing care and comfortsble to the patients but also has some advantages of short stay in the hospital, better utilization of hospital beds, and costsaving. This immediate hip spica cast immobilization seems to be a good method of treatment for the femoral shaft fracture in children.