Compression-plate fixation of femoral shaft fractures in children aged 8 to 12 years

Twenty-one patients between the ages of 8 and 12 years with 23 femoral-shaf t fractures underwent dynamic compression plating (DCP) between August 1993 and February 1996. Eleven patients had isolated Femoral-shaft fractures, f ive had associated long-bone injuries, and five had multiple organ injuries . A 4.5-mm DCP plate was used in each case. Patients were kept non-weight b earing with crutches for an average of weeks. Hardware failure occurred in two patients at 6 weeks. One was treated with revision plating, and the oth er, with spica casting. Both healed uneventfully. No other complications oc curred. All patients were radiographically and clinically healed at last fo llow-up.