Titanium elastic nails versus plating in paediatric femoral fractures: A prospective randomized study

Abstract

Background: Femoral shaft fractures are a common paediatric injury that can be treated in a variety of ways. We conduct a randomised trial to compare two operational strategies.Material and methods: From 2019 to 2021, we treat 26 patients with fracture shaft femur.The patients ranged in age from 4 to 12 years old, with 15 boys and 11 girls. 12 patients had left-sided injuries, whereas 14 had right-sided injuries. The first group of 13 patients (8 males and 5 females) were treated with titanium elastic nails (TENS), while the second group of 13 patients (7 males and 6 females) were treated with open reduction and internal fixation utilising thin plates. The clinical and radiological findings were evaluated using the Flynn etal (2001) scoring system at regular intervals (2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year). Results: Eight patients in the TENS group had outstanding results, while five others had good results with minor problems. With an average of 8.4 weeks, the union was completed (rang 6 - 12 weeks). Seven patients in the plating group had great results, four had acceptable results with mild problems, and two patients had poor results, including re-fracture after metal removal, severe infection that healed after later metal removal and debridement, and severe infection reaching the bone. Union took an average of 9.6 weeks, ranging from 6 to 14 weeks. Conclusion: Pediatric femoral fractures can be treated using TENS, which is a simple, dependable, successful, and less invasive approach.