Abstract
Purpose of the study: Proximal femoral fractures in children are rare, pathologic fractures being extremely rare. Despite many meanings these fractures are still "unsolved" there are some definite rules for treatment of true accidental injuries.
Pathologic fractures are outstanding with their extremely rare incidence. The aim of the study is to overview a large clinical material, find out the incidence of this pathologic fracture, the extent and shape of the unicameral bone cyst (UBC), specific therapeutic approach, technical problems of eventual osteosynthesis, number of reoperations and sequels.
Material: Altogether 49 children with 50 accidental and pathologic fractures of proximal part of the femur treated in the Regional Pediatric Trauma Centre of the Department of Pediatric and Trauma Surgery, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague. Methods: Retrospective and prospective study of children (0 to 15 years of age) treated with proximal femoral accidental and pathologic fractures during the 20 year period (from August 1984 to November 2004).
Classification of fractures according to Delbet and Colonna. Diagnosis of bone cyst with plain X-rays, eventually CT scans.
Results: During the 20 years period (August 1984 to November 2004) 49 children with 50 proximal femoral fractures were treated in the Department. Four patients sustained a pathologic fracture through an unicameral bone cyst.
Two of these latter children were treated by an open reduction and osteosynthesis with the use of the proximal femoral AO-ASIF angled-plate and two children nonoperatively using skeletal traction because of impossibility of insertion of the osteosynthetic material without a damage of the growth plate. Subsequent operations of the UBC were necessary in these two children.
All four patients recovered well without sequels. Discussion: Pathologic fractures in UBC are usually treated nonoperatively and the cyst itself is treated after fracture healing.
Proximal femoral impairment is the exception from this rule because of weigh bearing necessity. However, there may be problems with insertion of the implant when the cyst is very near to capital physis and traction treatment is then the method of choice with a delay of operative treatment of the cyst.
Conclusions: Pathologic proximal femoral fractures in UBC are extremely rare and need individual approach. Some of them should be operated on the others primarily treated by traction with secondary operation of the cyst.
Complications can be frequent.