Interventions for treating growth plate fractures of the distal femur: a systematic review protocol

Abstract

REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE 1.What are safe and effective interventions for the management of distal femoral growth plate fractures in children in terms of rates of growth deformity and rates of growth arrest? More specifically, the objectives are to compare: 1. different methods of surgical treatments in the acute management of distal femoral growth plate fractures in children and adolescents; 2. different methods of non-surgical treatments in the acute management of distal femoral growth plate fractures in children and adolescents; 3. surgical versus non-surgical treatments in the acute management of distal femoral growth plate fractures in children and adolescents; and 4. different outpatient follow-up strategies, in particular, frequency of visits, frequency of radiographic evaluation and longevity of patient follow-up, following treatment of distal femoral growth plate fractures in children. Surgery will be defined as treatment either by incision or physical manipulation by a surgical doctor. INCLUSION CRITERIA Types of participants This review will consider studies which include male and female children, younger than or equal to 18 years of age, with a distal femoral physeal fracture treated either operatively or conservatively, within 72 hours of presentation to hospital. Children may have a single or multiple injuries. The distal femoral physeal fractures considered may be open or closed injuries. Studies which follow-up these patients in the outpatient setting will also be reviewed to evaluate the incidence or detection rates of the later-appearing complications. This review will not consider children with osteochondritis dissecans, Blount’s disease, or children with other comorbidities TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS