Re-fracture after Osteosynthesis of Femoral Shaft Fracture in Osteopetrosis

We studied 43 patients with ipsilateral femoral shaft and femoral neck fractures who had dynamic hip screw fixation alone or in combincation with dynamic compression plate. All patients except two were diagnosed early; 37 patients had other associated injuries. There were 41 males and two females. The follow-up ranged from eight months to four years (mean 2-1/2 years). Six patients were lost to follow-up. Fracture of the neck of the femur healed in all 37 patients. Four patients had delayed union and two patients developed nonunion of the shaft of the femur. The aim of this paper is to show our experience and results using one technique for the treatment of such fractures.

Objective To analyze the factors influencing the incidence of refracture after surgery for femoral shaft fracture in children and put forward their countermeasures. Methods A retrospective study was conducted in the children who had been treated at Department I of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Zhengzhou Orthopaedic Hospital from September 2013 to May 2017 for primary femoral shaft fracture or refracture after surgery for femoral shaft fracture. Their clinic data were collected concerning age, gender, height, weight, primary fracture, treatment protocol, time for removal of fixation, time and site of refracture, and violence for refracture. The likely factors associated with refracture were identified by comparing the gender ratios, age distributions and primary fractures between the children with primary fracture and those with refracture, and by comparing the proportions of overweight and obese ones between the children with refracture and their normal counterparts. Results A total of 278 children, with a male to female ratio of 2.43∶1, were treated for primary femoral shaft fracture while 22 children, with a male to female ratio of 0.83∶1, for refracture contemporarily. In the children with primary fracture and those with refracture, respectively, there were 172 (61.9%) cases and 2 cases (9%) aged from 0 to 4 years, 85 cases (30.6%) and 10 cases (45.5%) aged from 5 to 9 years, 21 cases (7.5%) and 10 cases (45.5%) aged from 10 to 14 years. There were significant differences between the 2 groups in gender ratio and proportions of age (P 0.05). Conclusions Refracture after surgery for femoral shaft fracture in children may be closely associated with their gender, age and overweight. Care should be taken to avoid refracture in children with high risks. Key words: Femoral fractures; Risk factors; Child; Sex factors; Body weight

To retrospectively analyze efficacy of single structure internal fixation and double structure internal fixation in the treatment of ipsilateral femoral shaft and neck fracture, and analyze their indications. From June 2015 to December 2020, 21 patients with ipsilateral femoral shaft and femoral neck fracture were treated, including 14 males and 7 females, aged 23 to 69 years old with an average of(38.1±12.9) years old. According to different femoral shaft fracture sites, some patients were fixed with cephalomedullary implant for both femoral neck and the femoral shaft(single structure, InterTan or PFNA Ⅱ), some patients were fixed with cannulated screws for the femoral neck and a retrograde locking nail for the femoral shaft (dual structure), and postoperative function and complications were recorded during follow-up. In 10 cases of single-structure fixation, the femoral necks were all basicervical fractures, and the femoral shaft fractures were located in the proximal isthmus;11 cases were double-structure fixation, 9 cases in 11 were basal type of femoral neck, 2 cases in 11 were neck type, and the femoral shaft fractures were located in the isthmus and the distal isthmus. All patients were followed up for 12 to 27 months. No femoral head necrosis, deformity, delay or nonunion occurred in the patients with single-structure fixation, and no delayed union or nonunion occurred in femoral shaft fractures;At the final follow-up, Harris score of patients with single-structure fixation was 91.8±4.1, with 8 cases were excellent and 2 cases were good. The fractures of patients with dual-structure fixation achieved good union without femoral head necrosis, except 1 case of femoral shaft fracture had delayed union;At the final follow-up, Harris score of patients with dual-structure fixation was 92.4±5.9, 7 cases were excellent, 3 cases were good, and 1 case was fair. Good reduction and fixation is the key to the treatment of such fractures. Both the single-structure fixation and the dual-structure fixation are good methods, and it should be selected according to the locations of femoral shaft and femoral neck fractures. Single-structure fixation is a good choice for femoral shaft fractures located at the proximal isthmus and basal femoral neck fractures. For isthmus and distal femoral shaft fractures combined with ipsilateral femoral neck fractures, dual-structure fixation is recommended.

In adults, the incidence of ipsilateral femoral neck fractures in the setting of femoral shaft fractures is reported to be as high as 9%; however, scant literature exists on the same clinical scenario in pediatric/adolescent populations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of ipsilateral femoral neck fracture in the setting of femoral shaft fractures in children and adolescents treated in pediatric hospitals across the United States. The Pediatric Health Information System database was queried for patients aged 18 years or younger who were treated for a femoral neck, femoral shaft, and pertrochanteric femur fractures through an emergency department, inpatient, ambulatory surgery, or observation visit. Patients were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes. Data from 49 pediatric hospitals between the years 2002 and 2020 were included. Incidence was calculated as the number of cases including the event divided by the total number of cases. A total of 90,146 records were identified from a cohort of 55,733,855 (0.16%). Distal femur fractures, pathologic fractures, and periprosthetic fractures were excluded, resulting in 65,651 unique cases. Of the 65,651 cases, 7104 (11%) were identified as isolated neck fractures. The combined incidence of femoral neck or pertrochanteric femur fractures in the setting of a femoral shaft fracture was 82.3 per 10,000 cases (0.82%). Only 283 cases of concomitant femoral neck and shaft fractures were found among 55,169 femoral shaft fractures (0.5%). The incidence of ipsilateral femoral neck or pertrochanteric femur fractures in the setting of a femoral shaft fracture is 82.3 per 10,000 patients (0.82%) based on data from Pediatric Health Information System-participating institutions. The incidence of femoral neck/pertrochanteric femur fractures and femoral shaft fractures in children and adolescents is more than 10 times lower than reported for adults; therefore, the routine use of advanced diagnostic imaging in pediatric patients with femoral shaft fractures should be considered cautiously. Level IV; cross-sectional analysis.

Management of Pediatric Femoral Fractures using K-Wires

The role and efficacy of retrograding nailing for the treatment of diaphyseal and distal femoral fractures: a systematic review of the literature

Nonunion is a highly morbid complication that exacerbates the pain, disability and financial burden of distal and diaphyseal femur fractures. This study examined the modern rates of healing, nonunion, and other complications requiring reoperation of different fixation methods for distal and diaphyseal femur fractures. A systematic review and meta-analysis of all records from PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Review system was performed. Included studies had >20 acute, non-pathologic distal or diaphyseal femur fractures treated with primary internal fixation. Excluded were studies on abnormal patient/fracture populations, external fixation, or cement/bone graft use. Thirty-eight studies with 2,829 femoral shaft fractures and 11 studies with 505 distal femur fractures were included. Distal fractures had a lower healing rate (86.6% vs. 93.7%) and a higher re-operation rate (13.4% vs 6.1%) than shaft fractures (p < 0.00001), primarily due to higher rates of mechanical failure (p < 0.00001). Nonunion was the most frequent complication, occurring in 4.7% of distal fractures and 2.8% of shaft fractures. There was no difference between plate and nail fixation of distal fractures in healing, nonunion, or other causes of re-operation. Shaft fractures developed nonunion in 6.6% of unreamed nails and 2.1% of reamed nails (p = 0.002). Nonunion occurred in 2.3% of antegrade nailed fractures and 1.5% of retrograde nailed fractures (p = 0.66). Approximately one out of every eight distal fractures and one of every 16 shaft fractures requires re-operation. The most common cause of fixation failure is nonunion. Further research is needed to improve outcomes, particularly in distal femur fractures.

Internal fixation such as elastic stable intramedullary(ESIN) nail and submuscular plate (SMP) is gaining popularity for femoral shaft fractures in school-aged children. However, external fixation (ExFix) might be a valuable option for the distal third femoral shaft fractures, where the fracture heals rapidly, but it is crucial to avoid angular malunion. This study aims to compare the clinical outcomes, postoperative complications of distal third femoral shaft fractures in school-aged children treated by ESIN versus ExFix.Patients aged 5 to 11 years with distal third femoral shaft fractures treated at our institute from January 2014 to January 2016 were included and categorized into ESIN (n = 33) and ExFix (n = 38) group. The preoperative data, including baseline information of the patients, radiographic parameters, and type of surgical procedure, were collected from the hospital database, and postoperative data, including complications, were collected during the follow-up visit.In all, 33 patients (average, 8.0 ± 2.1 years, male 20, female 13) in the ESIN group and 38 patients (average, 8.3 ± 2.3 years, male 23, female 15) in the ExFix group were included in this study. There was significantly less operative time for the ExFix group (45.4 ± 7.8 min) as compared to the ESIN group (57.8 ± 11.3 min) (P < .01), reduced estimated blood loss (EBL) in the ExFix group (9.9 ± 3.5) as compared to the ESIN group (16.4 ± 6.5) (P < .01). As for the frequency of fluoroscopy, there was a significant difference between the ExFix group (13.9 ± 2.4) and the ESIN group (15.5 ± 3.2) (P = .02). The rate of major complications was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P = .19). The rate of implant irritation was significantly higher in the ExFix group (28/38, 73.7%) than the ESIN group (12/33, 36.4%) (P < .01). The rate of surgical site infection (SSI) is significantly higher in the ExFix group (18/38, 47.4%)) than the ESIN group (1/33, 3%) (P < .01). The rate of scar concern was significantly higher in the ExFix (9/38, 23.7%) than the ESIN (2/33, 6.1%), (P = .04). According to the Flynn scoring system, 30(90.9%) patients in the ESIN group and 24(89.5%) patients in the ExFix group were rated as excellent. None of the patients had poor outcomes.Both ESIN and ExFix produced satisfactory outcomes in distal third femoral shaft fractures. ExFix remains a viable choice for selected cases, especially in resource-challenged and austere settings.

Objective To compare the outcomes and indications between intramedullary reconstruction nailing and retrograde intramedullary nailing plus lag screw fixation in the treatment of ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures.Methods From January 2001 to May 2010,21 patients with ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures were treated in our division.Ten of them underwent intramedullary reconstruction nailing(Group Ⅰ)and 11 underwent retrograde intramedullary nailing plus cancellous lag screw fixation(Group Ⅱ).There were no significant differences between the 2 groups with respect to gender,age,associated injury,anatomical location and type of fracture(P ＞ 0.05).The patients were evaluated at 1,3,6,9,12 months after surgery,and then every year postoperatively.Fisher exact test and t-test were performed to compare their rates of union and complications.Results The average follow-up was 27.1months(range,from 12 to 48 months)for the 21 patients.An unpaired t-test showed no significant differences with respect to follow-up time,operation time,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative drainage,time for radiographic union,time for clinical union and Friedman-Wyman score between the 2 groups(P ＞ 0.05).The hospitalization cast was significantly higher for Group I than for Group Ⅱ(t =16.710,P =0.016).There were no significant differences in either the rate of femoral shaft union(9/10 vs.10/11)or the rate of femoral neck union(9/10 vs.11/11)(P ＞ 0.05).Four postoperative complications occurred in Group I and 7 in Group Ⅱ.Conclusions The treatment choice for ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures should depend on specific cases.Intramedullary reconstruction nailing should not be preferred in subcapital fractures or irreducible femoral neck fractures,while retrograde intramedullary nailing plus cancellous lag screw fixation may be an excellent choice for subcapital neck fractures and for distal femoral shaft fractures associated with distal femoral supracondylar or proximal tibial fractures. Key words: Femoral fractures; Femoral neck fractures; Fracture fixation, internal

Background and purpose — Unlike hip fractures, diaphyseal and distal femoral fractures in elderly patients have not been widely studied. We investigated the demographics, comorbidities and mortality of patients with femoral fractures at any anatomical level with a focus on early mortality. Patients and methods — We analyzed 11,799 patients ≥ 65 years with a femoral fracture registered in the Swedish Fracture Register from 2011 to 2014. The cohort was matched with the National Patient Register to obtain data on comorbidities classified according to the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Generalized linear models were fitted to estimate the adjusted relative risk of mortality. Results — Mean age of the cohort was 83 years and 69% were women. Patients with distal femoral fractures had the lowest degree of comorbidity, with 9% having a CCI of ≥ 3 compared with 14% among those with proximal and 16% among those with diaphyseal fractures. Unadjusted 90-day mortalities were 13% (95% CI 9.4–16) after fractures in the distal, 13% (CI 10–16) in the diaphyseal, and 15% (CI 14–15) in the proximal segment. The adjusted relative risk for 90-day mortality was 1.1 (CI 0.86–1.4) for patients with distal and 0.97 (CI 0.76–1.2) for patients with diaphyseal femoral fractures when compared with patients with hip fractures. Interpretation — Elderly patients with femoral fractures distal to the hip may have similar adjusted early mortality risks to those with hip fractures. There is a need for larger, preferably prospective, studies investigating the effect of rapid pathways and geriatric co-management for patients with diaphyseal and distal femoral fractures.

Objective To investigate the methods and results of lengthened proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures combined with ipsilateral femoral neck fractures. Methods Of the 21 patients with femoral shaft combined with ipsilateral femoral neck fractures treated by lengthened PFNA from 2006 to 2009,16 patients with complete follow-up were retrospectively studied.There were 15 males and 1 female,at mean age of 35 years (range,21-51 years).Injury causes were all high-energy trauma including traffic injuries in 11 patients and fall injuries in five.According to Garden classification,there were seven patients with type Ⅰ femoral neck fractures,six with type Ⅱ and three with type Ⅲ.Femoral shift fractures contained six superior part fractures and nine medial part fractures and one inferior part fracture.According to Winquist classification,there were two patients with type Ⅰ femoral shaft fractures,four with type Ⅱ,six with type Ⅲ and four with type Ⅳ.Two patients had open fractures belonging to type Ⅰ Gustilo-Anderson.Harris hip score was used to evaluate functional outcomes at the last follow-up postoperatively. Result The mean follow-up time was 2.4years (range,1-4 years ).The mean period for healing of femoral neck and shaft fractures was 4.2months ( range,3-6 months) and 5.1 months ( range,3-8 months) respectively.Four patients showed delayed diagnoses of femoral neck fractures ; two patients had delayed union of femoral shaft fractures ; one suffered from avascular necrosis of the femoral head ; one patient presented 3 cm of extension of the affected limb and was accompanied by active pain of the knee joint for over four months.According to Harris score,function of hip joints was excellent in seven patients,good in six and fair in three,with excellence rate of 82％. Conclusions It is relatively few that the femoral shaft fracture is combined with ipsilateral femoral neck fracture.The rate of missed diagnosis of femoral neck fractures is high and the patients with high energy trauma hould be highly paid attention to.Lengthened PFNA conforms to characteristics of biomechanical fixation and presents short operation time and solid fixation. Lengthened PFNA achieves affirmatory effects for treatment of femoral shaft fractures combined with ipsilateral femoral neck fractures. Key words: Femoral fractures; Femoral neck fractures; Fracture fixation,internal

To evaluate the risk of developing a new mental disorder diagnosis within two years of lower extremity fracture. Design: Retrospective cohort study. National insurance claims database. Included were patients between the ages of 18 and 65 with lower extremity, pelvis and acetabular fractures without prior mental disorders as defined with ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes. Mental disorders evaluated included alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, drug use disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide attempt.Outcome Measures and Comparisons: The individual lower extremity fracture cohorts were matched 1:4 with non-fracture controls. The specific groups of interest were pelvis fractures, acetabulum fractures, proximal femur fractures, femoral shaft fractures, distal femur fractures, patella fractures, tibia plateau fractures, tibia shaft fractures, ankle fractures, pilon fractures, calcaneus fractures, and Lisfranc fractures. Rates of mental disorders after primary lower extremity fractures within two years were compared using multivariable logistic regression. Overall, the 263,988 patient fracture group was 57.2% female with an average age of 46.6 years. Compared to controls with no fracture, patients who sustained pelvis, acetabulum, proximal femur, femoral shaft, distal femur, patella, tibia plateau, tibia shaft, pilon, calcaneus, or Lisfranc fracture had a statistically significant increased risk of being diagnosed with a queried mental disorder within two years of fracture. When comparing all fracture patients by location, those suffering from fractures proximal to the knee joint, including pelvis fractures (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.39-1.64) and proximal femur fractures (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.26-1.47), demonstrated greater risk of developing any of the queried mental disorders compared fractures distal to the knee, including ankle fractures (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.95-1.03) and pilon fractures (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.81-1.36). When comparing specific fracture patients to patients without fracture by mental disorder, patients demonstrated an increased risk of suicide attempt following fracture of the pelvis, acetabulum, femoral shaft, distal femur, and calcaneus, as well as patients suffering a Lisfranc fracture. There is an increased risk of being diagnosed with a new mental disorder following lower extremity trauma in patients without prior mental disorder diagnosis compared to matched individuals without a lower extremity fracture. Among the fractures studied, those that were more proximal, such as pelvis and proximal femur fractures, carried the greatest risk compared to more distal fracture sites, including ankle and pilon fractures. Patients who experienced certain lower extremity fractures had a significantly higher rate of suicide attempt compared to patients without fracture. Physicians should consider increased mental health screening and potential referral for mental health evaluation for patients following lower extremity trauma. Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

BackgroundIpsilateral femoral shaft and neck fractures are rare injuries, affecting mostly young patients who sustained high-energy traumas. In 19–50% of cases, the femoral fracture is misdiagnosed or overlooked at the initial presentation, with reportedly increased risk of complications such as non-union and avascular necrosis. We present a case of an ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fracture, which was missed at initial presentation despite radiographic and computed tomography (CT) scan evaluation.Case presentationA 56-year old female was admitted to our institution following a high-energy trauma (fall from 6 m). Initial radiographic and CT scan evaluation revealed a displaced femoral shaft fracture but no other femoral fractures were detected. Closed reduction and external fixation of the femoral shaft fracture was performed in the emergency setting. Follow-up radiologic evaluations revealed an ipsilateral laterally displaced femoral neck fracture. Despite cephalomedullary nail fixation of both fractures performed on the third day from the initial injury, the patient developed a non-union of the femoral neck fracture, which led to cut-out of the lag screw with associated varus failure of the femoral neck fracture requiring surgical revision and implant of a bipolar hemiarthroplasty at one year follow up. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient had a full long-term recovery.ConclusionThis case report exemplifies the need to maintain the highest level of suspiciousness for the concomitant presence of an ipsilateral femoral neck fracture when treating polytraumatized patients who sustained a femoral shaft fracture as a consequence of a high-energy trauma. Furthermore, the pre-operative standardized radiological evaluation (plain x-ray and CT scan) might not always help in ruling out these fractures. It is therefore necessary to adopt additional standardized radiographic protocols not only in the pre-operative but also in the intra-operative and immediate post-operative settings.

Chapter 20 discusses femur trauma and reviews the mechanism of injury and clinical features, imaging strategy, imaging characteristics, and classification and treatment options. Subtrochanteric, femoral shaft, and distal femoral fractures are discussed. Subtrochanteric fractures are usually high-energy fractures, but are also seen in osteoporotic patients after low-energy trauma and those on bisphosphonate treatment. Distal femoral fractures may be supracondylar, intercondylar, or condylar. Femoral shaft fractures may be associated with life-threatening trauma elsewhere. Atypical femoral fractures are briefly reviewed. Intraarticular extension of distal femoral fractures is important to note as this will affect management. Evaluation of femoral fractures begins with anterior-posterior (AP) and lateral radiographs of the femur.

To examine the impact of fascia iliaca (FI) blocks performed in the emergency department on femoral shaft and distal femur fracture patients on opioid consumption, length of stay (LOS), and readmission rate. Prospective cohort study. Community-based Level 1 trauma center. Patients with isolated low-energy femoral shaft or distal femur fractures (OTA/AO 32 and 33) presenting from January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2022, were included. Opioid consumption, LOS, discharge disposition, and 30-day readmission rate were compared between patients undergoing FI compartment block and not receiving the block. One hundred thirty-six patients were included. Twenty-four received FI block. Both cohorts were primarily female gender (66.7% and 66.9%, respectively, for the FI block and the no FI block cohort). Most of the FI block cohort had femoral shaft fractures (62.5%), whereas the no FI block cohort had mostly distal femur fractures (56.2%). The mean body mass index, fracture type, and surgical procedure were similar between patients undergoing FI block and not receiving FI block. The FI block group had significantly lower opioid consumption preoperatively [36.1 vs. 55.3 morphine milliequivalents (MMEs), P = 0.030], postoperatively (71.7 vs. 130.6 MMEs, P = 0.041), and over total hospital stay (107.9 vs. 185.9 MMEs) including the mean opioid consumption per day of hospital stay (25.9 vs. 48.4 MMEs, P = 0.003). There was no significant difference in LOS (4.9 vs. 5.0 days, P = 0.900), discharge disposition destination ( P = 0.200), or 30-day readmissions (12.5% vs. 4.5%, P = 0.148) between groups. Undergoing FI block in the emergency department was associated with decreased opioid consumption in patients with femoral shaft or distal femur fractures. There was no associated difference in LOS, discharge disposition, or 30-day readmissions. Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.