Seventy one patients below the age of 16, with 72 shaft femur fractures occurred between January 1995 and December 1998, were evaluated. The purpose of the study was to understand the descriptive aspects of the fractures and appraise the employed treatment. Age was the key criterion for treatment choice, with those under 3 years old (Group I) being treated with immediate spica cast; those between 3 and 10 years (Group II) were treated with traction followed by spica cast, and those over 11 years old (Group III) with conservative or surgical therapy. Mean age was 6.3±3.8 years with a prevalence of males and closed fractures. Traffic accident was the most common injury cause. The fracture was in the middle third in 60.6% of the cases, in the proximal third in 23.9%, and in the distal third in 15.5%. Ninety three percent were simple trace fractures, 4.2% comminutive and 2.8% segmental. Associated injuries were identified in 35.2% of the patients. All fractures in Groups I, II and 60.0% of those in group III were treated conservatively. Complications seen until bone union were: discrepancy, infection at the wire path, vicious union and limited knee motion. The average time for union was 8.6±3.4 weeks, varying with age. We conclude that the studied fractures' characteristics were similar to those described by current literature and that the employed treatment showed good outcomes.
Femoral fractures; Child; Adolescent
