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Reoperation rate of 30% found for open femoral shaft fractures treated with modern techniques
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NEW YORK — In a retrospective review of 56 patients with open femoral shaft fractures treated at a level 1 trauma center, researchers found that nearly a third of patients underwent reoperation.
“Open femoral shaft fractures represent a sign challenge to the treating orthopedic surgeon and are often associated with other serious injuries,” Jeff Petrie, MD, said at the International Society for Fracture Repair Meeting. “While closed femoral fractures have a high reported union rate and a low chance of reoperation, open femoral shaft fractures in this series demonstrate a reoperation rate of 30% with 15% of patients failing the initial treatment. In addition, it is important to counsel patients that a significant number of patients in our series required gait aids at final follow-up.”
Jeff Petrie
Patients had an average age of 36 years and an average injury severity score of 15. The average time to initial debridement was 11 hours and most patients were treated with retrograde nailing, Petrie said. The average patient follow-up was 10 months, and the average time to union was 140 days.
“In our series, our nonunion rate was 11% and our overall infection rate was 5%,” Petrie said. At final follow-up, 18% of patients required gait aids, he said. The investigators also found that patient age by a year, patient age by decade and decreasing Gustilo-Anderson fracture classification were associated with nonunion. – by Gina Brockenbrough, MA
Reference:
Petrie J. Abstract #92. Presented at: International Society for Fracture Repair Meeting; May 14-17, 2014; New York.
Disclosure: Petrie has no relevant financial disclosures.