The purpose of this study is to analyze the progression of children presenting femoral diaphyseal fractures, conservatively treated, by evaluating clinical and radiographic complications, emotional changes and estimated costs for this kind of treatment. Thirty-two patients were evaluated, with ages ranging from 6 to 16 years old, receiving healthcare within the period of January 1995 and August 2001. In this group, six patients were females and 26 were males, with a mean age of 8 years and five months old. Sixteen patients were further evaluated, with an average follow-up time of 42.2 months. In those patients, ten angle deformities and nine lower limbs discrepancies were seen. During psychological evaluation, fifteen patients reported anxiety and restricted social life during treatment, and two patients lost school year. Eleven families reported difficulties in taking care of the child during the home-based phase of therapy. As for the analysis of costs, the treatment using traction followed by cast has shown to be 22.5% more expensive than surgery with flexible intramedullary nail. Although clinical outcomes were satisfactory, allowing a fast return to usual daily activities, the bloodless treatment has shown to be more expensive than other available approaches, and may potentially trigger emotional changes in children and their families.
Femoral fractures; Children; Traumatology
