One hundred pediatric femoral fractures: epidemiology, treatment attitudes, and early complications.

Analysis of 100 consecutive femoral fractures admitted to our institution revealed an incidence of about 1 fracture per 2,000 children per year. Epidemiologic data may help to promote prevention. Initial treatment was performed by many doctors, thus rendering guidelines to safe and cost-effective management indispensable. In the last decade, growing concern to reduce hospital stays and costs led to new approaches that replaced traction as a therapeutic principle. Today, we consider immediate spica casting a good option for the group 0-5 years old, whereas in the age group 5-12 years old elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) produces reliably good results. Minor complications were common and could be avoided partially, but they did not affect the good final outcome.