Abstract: Background and Aim: Femoral shaft fractures represent 1.6% of all fractures in the pediatric population. There is abnormal distribution of incidence with the first peak being from two to four years of age and the second in mid adolescence. Present study was conducted to investigate the degree of overgrowth and have attempted to correlate clinical factors that may influence the outcome with such overgrowth.
Material and Methods: Present retrospective study was conducted in Children between the ages of 0 to 14 years presented in, the Department of Orthopedics, at tertiary care institute of Gujarat for the period of 3 years. A Total of 31 patients were admitted for femoral fracture during this period of study treated with conservative non-operative management for femoral shaft fractures. These children were reviewed with regard to the differences that were observed in the limb length after treatment.
Results: The mean difference in overgrowth between this age group was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Nine of the fractures were in the upper third of the femur; eighteen were in the middle and four were in the lower third. Mean overgrowth of fractures in the upper third group was 0.90 cm; for the middle third the mean was 0.81 cm and lower third mean was 1.05 cm. The mean overgrowth for transverse fractures (18 cases) was 0.89 cm; oblique fracture (6 cases) 0.85 cm and spiral fracture (7 cases) 0.81 cm.
Conclusion: Overgrowth after fracture of the femur in children is a universal phenomenon. Gender, level and pattern of fracture do not affect the quantity of overgrowth.
