A New Study on Pediatric Femur Fracture Avascular Necrosis

A New Study on Pediatric Femur Fracture Avascular Necrosis

Recently, a research paper was published exploring the rates of avascular necrosis in pediatric femur fractures. Avascular necrosis is one of the most serious complications that might develop following a broken leg. The bone cells in the femur, like every other cell in the body, depend on a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients to survive. When someone sustains a serious bone fracture, these nutrients become even more important as the bone tries to heal. When someone develops avascular necrosis, this blood supply is cut off and the nutrients are deprived.

Avascular necrosis can develop if one or more bone fragments slice through the blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the bone tissue. When this happens, the bone cells start to die in a process called necrosis. A team of researchers sought to review the rates of avascular necrosis specifically in femur fractures that occur in children.

The Methods of the Study: Pediatric Femur Fractures

A medical research team published their findings in the Bone and Joint journal recently. The researchers looked back at the records of countless children who sought medical care due to concerns for a broken leg. Ultimately, the researchers found close to 240 children who had been diagnosed with one or more pediatric femur fractures. All of these patients also required surgical correction of the fracture.

The researchers then sorted the cases by their various risk factors. These included the age of the patients, their gender, the degree of fracture displacement, the location of the fracture within the femur, the time it took to set the bone, and the overall quality of the reduction.

Finally, the researchers reviewed the rates of avascular necrosis after the fracture site was repaired. The researchers used detailed statistical analysis tools to try and find trends in the development of this issue following fracture repair. Their overall results have some important implications for this complication in pediatric femur fractures.

The Results of the Research Study: Trends in Avascular Necrosis

The average age of the patients in the study was 10 years. Using statistical analysis, the researchers found that several factors were closely correlated to the development of avascular necrosis following a femur fracture in a child. Some of these included:

• The rate of development of avascular necrosis is significantly higher in children who are over the age of 12
• The farther the bone fragments were shifted out of position (termed displacement), the greater the rate of development of this compilation
• Poor quality of reduction also significantly increased the rate of this complication
• When screws and plate were used to reduce the fracture instead of screws and K-wire (Kirschner wire), the rate of necrosis was less

The results of this study are significant because they help identify some of the important risk factors in the development of avascular necrosis in children. Older children are at a higher risk of developing avascular necrosis. In addition, the quality of the surgical reduction and the materials used also seem to play a role in the development of this serious complication.

Future Directions: Implications for More Studies

It is also clear that more information is needed on this topic. Future research studies need to focus on why these risk factors increase the rate of avascular necrosis. By figuring out the reasons why this complication develops, future children can be spared from developing avascular necrosis down the road.

Clearly, this is a serious complication following femur fractures. When this issue develops in a child, it can have significant implications for their growth and development down the road. Because of this, every measure possible should be taken during the repair of a femur fracture to minimize this risk. By researching pediatric femur fractures and its complications, such as avascular necrosis, surgical techniques can be adjusted to improve patient outcomes.

Sacramento Femur Fracture Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Femur Fracture Lawyer. Complications following a pediatric femur fracture, such as avascular necrosis, can impact a child for the rest of his or her life. If your child has suffered a broken leg due to the negligence of another person or entity, please call me today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.