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Study: Complication rate comparable for fixation of pediatric diaphyseal femur fractures
In this study, researchers noted a 6% minor complication rate and 7% major complication rate in pediatric patients following plate fixation for diaphyseal femur fractures, a result comparable to complication rates found in the studies with similar fracture and fixation types.
“Most complications occurred greater than 4 months postoperatively, with major complications occurring at a later time point than minor complications,” the researchers wrote in the abstract. “Long-term follow-up of these patients is recommended to ensure that complications do not go undetected.”
After reviewing the records of 85 skeletally immature pediatric patients admitted to a pediatric trauma center between January 2003 and December 2010, the researchers found 11 complications. Of these complications, 5 patients required reoperation due to wound infection, distal femoral valgus deformity or leg length discrepancy, according to the abstract. Minor complications that did not require reoperation occurred in 6 patients and included delayed union, valgus malunion, systematic screw prominence and superficial wound infection.
The researchers noted that after fracture union, 61% of patients chose to have the hardware removed. Although complications tended to occur at mean 20 months postoperatively, major complications occurred at mean 29.1 months. Longer follow-up time was associated with a higher risk of a major complication, the researchers wrote.