Comparison of itanium elastic nails and blade plates for femoral fractures in children

Abstract

Objective To compare and evaluate the bone union time,complications and function recovery of children with femur fractures treated by titanium elastic nails(TEN)and blade plates (BP).Methods Between 2006 and 2008,48 consecutive children with femur fractures,aging from 6 to15 years,were studied prospectively.They were divided into TEN group or BP group randomly,Thirty cases with the mean age of 8.5 years were treated by closed reduction of TEN,and the other 18 children with the mean age of 10.7 years were treated by open reduction of blade plates.The general data,operations,postoperative complications and function recovery of the two groups were compared and evaluated.Results All patients were followed-up with the average following-up period of 16.3 months(ranging from 12 to 24 months)in TEN group and 17.8 months(ranging from 13 to 23 months)in BP group.The mean operating time was 34.6 min in TEN group and 58.4 min in BP group.The mean bleeding was 20.7 ml in TEN group,while 86.6 ml in BP group.The mean length of incisions was 4.5 cm in TEN group,which was significantly shorter than that in BP group 12.3 cm,.The average bone union time was 8.4 weeks in TEN group and 8.8 weeks in BP group.Inequality between the lengths of the lower extremities were 2-15mm(menn 6.8 mm)in TEN group,and 3-14 mm(mean 6.6 mm)in BP group.According to the assessment criterion of therapeutic effect by Flynn,the total excellent and good rates were 96.7%and 94.4%in TEN and BP group,without significant diffeFence.Conclusions There is no significant difference of therapeutic effects between TEN and BP for children with femur fractures.However,TEN has obvious advantages in the aspects of less injury and shorter operating time than BP group. Key words: Bone mils; Femur fractures; Fracture fixation; internal