Intramedullary internal fixation for femur fractures in children and teenagers with SIGN nail.

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate clinical results regarding the safety of intramedullary nailing infemoral shaft fractures using the Surgical Implant Generation Network (SIGN) nail in children and adolescents.

Design: A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out. First, it was evaluated the skeletal maturity of the patients who had fractures of the femoral shaft. Then, they were treated with SIGN nails at the Vicente Coral Moscoso hospital in the city of Cuenca- Ecuador. Thirty-four children and teenagers with displaced fractures and one case of pseudo- osteoarthritis of the femoral shaft were evaluated in order to determine hospital stay, healing time, final fracture alignment and possible complications.

Results: The mean age was 12 years (range: 8-17). The healing fractures were seen in an average of 7 weeks (range 5-14). The hospital stay of patients with isolated femur fractures was 2.8 days (range: 1-5). With a mean follow-up of 57 weeks, no malunion, avascular necrosis, valgus and / or narrowing of the femoral neck did not occurred in any case. Patients were followed for at least 6 weeks (range: 6-351 weeks).

Conclusion: The SIGN intramedullary nailing technique used through the greater trochanter of the femur appears to be safe, effective and well tolerated by pediatric patients. The hospital stay was short as the time until the patient started ambulation. No rupture or implant loosening was recorded.