Are femur fractures common in children?
Although great force is needed to break the thighbone, femur fractures in childhood are not uncommon. If your child has any of symptoms of a broken bone, seek medical care immediately. If you see the bone poking out through the skin, do not move your child and call 911 right away.
How long does it take femur fracture to heal in children?
Femur fractures can heal in as little as 4-6 weeks in very young children and 3-4 months or more in adolescents Return to activities and sports will be determined by your surgeon based on the injury, fracture healing, and your child’s age. Return to activities before the healing is complete can lead to repeat injury.
How do you treat a broken femur in a child?
Nonsurgical Treatment
In some femur fractures, the doctor may be able to manipulate the broken bones back into place without an operation (closed reduction). In a baby under 6 months old, a brace (called a Pavlik Harness) may be able to hold the broken bone still enough to allow for successful healing.
Can a child walk with a broken femur?
The child may not be able to walk while the cast is in place. After the cast comes off, the child may need to use crutches for 3 to 4 weeks while the leg regains strength if he or she is old enough (around age 6). Younger children may need to ride in a stroller or wagon or be carried until they are stronger..
How serious is a femur fracture?
A broken femur is a serious injury that requires immediate medical care. Broken femurs are treated with surgery and physical therapy. It can take months for your broken femur to heal. You can break your femur by being in a car crash, falling or being shot.
Can you walk with a fractured femur?
Full recovery from a femur fracture can take anywhere from 12 weeks to 12 months. But you are not alone. Most people experiencing a femur fracture can begin walking with the help of a physical therapist in the first day or two after injury and/or surgery.
Can you walk on a fractured femur?
How serious is a fractured femur?
Is a broken femur life threatening?
Caution: A fractured femur may be life-threatening.
Death can occur following a femur fracture due to complications such as blood clots, pneumonia, or infection. Symptoms of life-threatening injury include: Localized swelling in the legs or groin, with redness and tenderness to touch.
Do you ever fully recover from a broken femur?
Most femoral fractures take about 4 to 6 months to heal completely, but you should be able to resume many activities before this time.
How many hours does femur surgery take?
The surgeon makes a surgical cut on the side of your thigh. The metal plate or nail is attached with a few screws. This surgery takes 2 to 4 hours.
Why is a femur fracture life-threatening?
What is the survival rate of a broken femur?
The overall mortality rate after distal femur fractures at a maximum followup of 9.8 years was 38%. Mortality rates at 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery were 6%, 18%, and 25%, respectively (Table 1).
What are the long term effects of a broken femur?
Long-term symptoms after fracture include muscular weakness, limited standing and walking, gait abnormalities, some intermittent pain, and inability to return to preinjury work. Surgical management is rarely needed to treat femoral stress fractures; however, surgical stabilization is recommended for recalcitrant cases.
How long is hospital stay for broken femur?
The average time from arrival to surgery was 17 hours. The average time from surgery to physical therapy was 1.3 days. Patients who had surgery more than 24 hours after arrival stayed longer. Patients requiring placement stayed 2.4 days longer until placement was found.
Why is a femur fracture life threatening?
Complications of a fractured femur can be serious, even life threatening in some cases. If the fracture has broken through the skin, the possibility for infection is increased. Severe injuries with profuse bleeding may lead to circulatory collapse or shock.
How long is hospital stay after femur surgery?
Recovery. You will be in the hospital for 2-3 days after surgery.
Is a femur fracture serious?
Is a femur break life threatening?
Can you walk normally after a broken femur?
What are the complications of femur fracture?
Complications and injuries associated with midshaft femur fractures in the adult can be life-threatening and may include hemorrhage, internal organ injury, wound infection, fat embolism, and adult respiratory distress syndrome [2,6].