External fixation of displaced femoral shaft fractures in children: a consecutive study of 98 fractures.

Objective: To evaluate unilateral external fixation when applied as the standard treatment of children with displaced femoral shaft fractures.

Setting: Two county hospitals in central Sweden.

Design: A consecutive and prospective study including all children aged 3 to 15 years with displaced femoral fractures admitted to either of the two hospitals.

Radiological outcome after external fixation of 97 femoral shaft fractures in children.

The aim of this prospective, consecutive study was to assess overgrowth and malunion after anatomical reduction and external fixation of displaced femoral shaft fractures in children. Ninety-seven closed femoral fractures in 95 children aged 3-15 were fixed with a unilateral external fixator and followed with conventional radiographs and standardized orthograms for 1 year. To evaluate further overgrowth and remodelling a subgroup of 45 patients was also seen at 2 years.