NATURAL HEALING OF HIP-FRACTURES IN CHILDHOOD

Twenty intracapsular fractures Of the femur in children below 14 years of age were reviewed. Gentle reduction was performed successfully in the displaced fractures. Close apposition of fracture fragments was ma intained in all cases with skeletal traction for a time depending on t he patient's age, the displacement and the appearance of bridging call us along the medial cortex of the femoral neck. Periosteal healing was evident in the displaced fractures, even in cases of severe ischaemic necrosis. This paper presents this phenomenon of initial external cal lus repair, not previously reported in the literature, which indicates the existence of functional periosteum of the femoral neck in childre n.