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Rigid Nail Fixation For Treatment Of Femur Fractures In Children Aged 6 To 12 Years: A Review, Brielle Payne Plost, David M. Bennett, Andrew W. Parsons, Matthew G. Wharton

UNM Orthopaedic Research Journal

Although femoral shaft fractures are common in children, treatment using rigid intramedullary nail fixation remains controversial owing to concerns of avascular necrosis (AVN) and disruption of growth of the proximal femur. We examined studies on AVN complications and proximal femur deformity after rigid nail fixation in children aged 6 to 12 years. Of the 13 studies included, nine had no incidents of AVN or clinically significant proximal femur deformity using a greater trochanter entry point. Four studies showed cases of AVN or proximal femoral deformity in patients treated with intramedullary nails through a starting point at or near the piriformis …