Determination of Outcomes of Using Elastic Intramedullary Nailing in Femur Shaft Fractures in Children Aged 5-11 Years.

Abstract

Objective: to examine the efficacy and safety of inserting flexible elastic intramedullary nails into the femoral shafts of
children (aged 5–11) who have had injuries to this area.
Methodology: This descriptive longitudinal study was carried out from February 2025 to July 2025 in the Orthopedic Surgery
Department at Sheikh Zayed Medical College and Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan. In all, 62 patients were chosen using
a non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Participating children ranged in age from 5 to 11 years old and
were of either sex. They had femoral shaft closed fractures that were at least 3 cm below the lesser trochanter and 3 cm
above the distal physis, sustained in a severe accident.
Results: A total of 62 patients were examined. The predominant cause of injury was road traffic accidents, occurring in
45 instances (72.58%). The children's ages varied from 5 to 11 years, with a mean age of 7.14 ± 0.90 years. The majority
of patients, 43 (69.35%), were aged between 5 and 7 years. There were 46 males (75.29%) and 16 females (24.71%).
The average body weight was 24.35 ± 4.66 kg. The mean duration of symptoms before to treatment was 6.48 ± 2.45
days. According to the Flynn and Schwend rating system, results were classified as good in 57 patients (91.93%) and
satisfactory in 5 patients (8.07%). Complications arose in 10 instances (16.12%), comprising limb length discrepancies
of 1–2 cm in 3 cases, skin irritation at the nail entry site in 4 cases, and superficial wound infections in 3 cases. No patient
experienced malunion or implant migration.
Conclusion: Flexible intramedullary nailing was a safe, successful, and dependable way to fix femoral shaft fractures in
kids aged 5 to 11. The treatment led to good functional recovery and adequate bone healing, with no significant problems
and only a few small ones that were easy to deal with.

Keywords: Outcome, Femoral Shaft Fracture, Road Traffic Accident (RTA), Elastic Intramedullary Nail.