Ender Nailing for Femoral Shaft Fracture in Children

Choy, Won Sik; Yoo, Cheun Hwan; Ong, Sang Suk

Abstract

The indications for surgical stabilization of a pediatric diaphyseal femur fracture are expanding Children with multiple systemic injury, a head injury, and/or with multiple fractures have fewer local and distant complications if the femur fracture is treated operatively. Other indications include a frac- ture in a child with a preexisting condition that prevents the application of a spica cast, a child older than 10 years of age, or a child less than 10 years of age who cannot be kept adequately aligned using conventional(traction/casting) methods of fracture management. Here closed intramedullary Ender nailing of 15 femoral fractures in 15 children, 7-13 years of age, was studied retrospectively. Seven patients had associated injuries. The average operation time was 40 minutes and hospitalization time averaged 16 days. There were no infections, nonunions, or malunions. On follow-up, average 27 months, no patient had deformity of over 8 degree in any plane. No patient had clinical loss of motion, leg length discrepancy, or radiographic evidence of growth disturbance. Here, authors Concluded that closed Ender nailing is very useful method in the management of femoral shaft fracture in children over 10 years old or when there is associated head injury or multiple fractures regardless of patients age.