Functional and radiological outcome after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in pediatric patients

Abstract Background Complications that develop after femoral neck fracture in children—especially osteonecrosis—have been retrospectively attributed to inadvertent delayed fixation and fracture type. Prospective evaluation of results after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in children beyon...

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Main Authors: Manish Kumar Varshney, Ashok Kumar, Shah Alam Khan, Shishir Rastogi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2009-11-01
Series:Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10195-009-0072-4
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author Manish Kumar Varshney
Ashok Kumar
Shah Alam Khan
Shishir Rastogi
author_facet Manish Kumar Varshney
Ashok Kumar
Shah Alam Khan
Shishir Rastogi
author_sort Manish Kumar Varshney
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Complications that develop after femoral neck fracture in children—especially osteonecrosis—have been retrospectively attributed to inadvertent delayed fixation and fracture type. Prospective evaluation of results after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in children beyond the first 24 h is not reported in the literature and requires evaluation to increase our understanding of the procedure and improve fixation methods. Also, the role of capsular decompression in initial management needs to be elucidated. Materials and methods Radiological and functional evaluation was done for delayed fixation (>24 h) of displaced fractures in the femoral neck in 21 children (21 hips) treated over 11 years. Mean patient age was 11.8 (median 12, range 5–15) years. Extraphyseal fixation was done using partially threaded cannulated cancellous screws after closed or open reduction. Patients were allowed full weight bearing after 12–18 weeks. Results were assessed on the basis of modified Ratliff criteria. Patients were followed for a mean of 81 (range 66–129) months. Results All fractures united at a mean duration of 12 (range 10.6–14) weeks. Three (14.3%) patients had osteonecrosis of the hip, which was significantly related to poor outcome (r = 0.495; P = 0.022). There was a significant correlation (r = 0.52) between development of osteonecrosis and delayed fracture fixation of >10 days (P = 0.016) and open reduction (P = 0.016). Conclusions Outcome following temporal delay in fracture fixation of the femoral neck is primarily affected by osteonecrosis of the femoral head, whereas restriction of movements, shortening, and premature physeal closure has no significant influence. Osteonecrosis is primarily linked to delay and open reduction, whereas fracture type, age, and sex seem insignificant factors. Capsular decompression does not seem to affect the outcome in delayed presentations and may hinder definitive treatment.
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spelling doaj.art-0d3e5c0694fb43289a28571bd41dbf082024-01-07T12:39:23ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology1590-99211590-99992009-11-0110421121610.1007/s10195-009-0072-4Functional and radiological outcome after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in pediatric patientsManish Kumar Varshney0Ashok Kumar1Shah Alam Khan2Shishir Rastogi3Department of Orthopaedics, Lady Harding Medical College and associated hospitalsDepartment of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical SciencesDepartment of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical SciencesDepartment of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Complications that develop after femoral neck fracture in children—especially osteonecrosis—have been retrospectively attributed to inadvertent delayed fixation and fracture type. Prospective evaluation of results after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in children beyond the first 24 h is not reported in the literature and requires evaluation to increase our understanding of the procedure and improve fixation methods. Also, the role of capsular decompression in initial management needs to be elucidated. Materials and methods Radiological and functional evaluation was done for delayed fixation (>24 h) of displaced fractures in the femoral neck in 21 children (21 hips) treated over 11 years. Mean patient age was 11.8 (median 12, range 5–15) years. Extraphyseal fixation was done using partially threaded cannulated cancellous screws after closed or open reduction. Patients were allowed full weight bearing after 12–18 weeks. Results were assessed on the basis of modified Ratliff criteria. Patients were followed for a mean of 81 (range 66–129) months. Results All fractures united at a mean duration of 12 (range 10.6–14) weeks. Three (14.3%) patients had osteonecrosis of the hip, which was significantly related to poor outcome (r = 0.495; P = 0.022). There was a significant correlation (r = 0.52) between development of osteonecrosis and delayed fracture fixation of >10 days (P = 0.016) and open reduction (P = 0.016). Conclusions Outcome following temporal delay in fracture fixation of the femoral neck is primarily affected by osteonecrosis of the femoral head, whereas restriction of movements, shortening, and premature physeal closure has no significant influence. Osteonecrosis is primarily linked to delay and open reduction, whereas fracture type, age, and sex seem insignificant factors. Capsular decompression does not seem to affect the outcome in delayed presentations and may hinder definitive treatment.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10195-009-0072-4PediatricFractureFemoral neckDelayed fixationHip decompression
spellingShingle Manish Kumar Varshney
Ashok Kumar
Shah Alam Khan
Shishir Rastogi
Functional and radiological outcome after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in pediatric patients
Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology
Pediatric
Fracture
Femoral neck
Delayed fixation
Hip decompression
title Functional and radiological outcome after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in pediatric patients
title_full Functional and radiological outcome after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in pediatric patients
title_fullStr Functional and radiological outcome after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in pediatric patients
title_full_unstemmed Functional and radiological outcome after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in pediatric patients
title_short Functional and radiological outcome after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in pediatric patients
title_sort functional and radiological outcome after delayed fixation of femoral neck fractures in pediatric patients
topic Pediatric
Fracture
Femoral neck
Delayed fixation
Hip decompression
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s10195-009-0072-4
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