Titanium elastic nailing for paediatric femoral shaft fractures: a prospective descriptive study

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Femoral shaft fracture is the most common major paediatric orthopaedic fractures. For generations traction and casting was the standard treatment for all femoral shaft fractures in children. Over the past two decades the advantages of fixation and rapid mobilisation have been increasingly recognised. Aim: To assess the functional and clinical outcome after closed reduction and internal fixation with titanium elastic nail in diaphyseal femoral fractures between 5 to 16 years.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> The study was conducted in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, Manipur, from September 2013 to April 2015. Thirty children (20 boys and 10 girls) in the age group of 5 to 16 years with recent femoral diaphyseal fractures were stabilised by titanium elastic nails [TENS]. Results were evaluated according to Flynn’s scoring criteria.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> After 25 months of follow up all thirty patients were available for evaluation. Radiological union were achieved in a mean time of 11.5 weeks. Mean duration of hospital stay was 15.23 days. According to Flynn’s criteria of TENS outcome score results were excellent in 66.7% patients, Satisfactory in 30% patients, Poor in 3.3% patient. All patients had early return to school. Per operative technical problems included failure of closed reduction in 2 cases.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Titanium elastic nailing is an effective treatment in diaphyseal fractures of femur in properly selected patients. </p>