Femoral shaft fractures in children: the effect of initial shortening on subsequent limb overgrowth.

Twenty-six children between the ages of ten months and 15 years with closed fractures of the femoral shaft treated by closed means were reviewed to determine whether shortening at the time of fracture union overcame the problem of subsequent limb overgrowth. The mean shortening at the time of union was 9.8 millimeters. The mean overgrowth was 8.8 mm. The initial shortening and subsequent limb overgrowth were related, with a correlation coefficient of 0.63 (p less than 0.01). The greater the initial shortening, the stronger appeared to be the stimulus for overgrowth.