Elastic nail fixation versus plate fixation of paediatric femoral fractures in school age patients - A retrospective observational study

Submuscular plating vs. elastic stable intramedullary nailing for diaphyseal femur fractures in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

This review evaluates the safety and efficacy of submuscular plating (SMP) vs. elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) in the treatment of pediatric femur shaft fracture.

Method

Studies comparing the efficacy and safety of SMP and ESIN in pediatric shaft fracture were retrieved from five databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, OVID, and Web of Science) from inception to March 2023 using a systematic literature search strategy. A total of 13 outcome measures, such as perioperative parameters, clinical outcomes, and radiographic results, were included in the meta-analysis.

Results

Eight eligible studies involving 491 patients were included in the narrative synthesis. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. Meta-analysis showed reduced radiation time (RT), soft tissue irritation and angular deformation in the SMP group than in the ESIN group. However, the SMP group had greater estimated blood loss (EBL) than the ESIN group. The duration of surgery, length of hospital stay (LOS), implant removal, complications requiring surgery, Flynn score, incidence of infection, fracture healing time, and limb length discrepancy (LLD) were similar between the two groups. Only one study reported higher incidences of fracture nonunion or delayed healing in the ESIN group.

Conclusion

SMP is an effective and safe intervention superior to ESIN in reducing soft tissue irritation, angular deformation and radiation time. Given the presence of potential bias and heterogeneity, surgeons should select the treatment that would provide the best outcomes for EBL, LOS, operation time, and bone nonunion or delayed healing based on their experience.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023404118, Identifier PROSPERO (CRD42021228512).

Plate fixation versus flexible intramedullary nails for management of closed femoral shaft fractures in the pediatric population: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the adverse outcomes

Purpose

Fractures of the femoral diaphysis are associated with a risk of morbidity in children. Various fixation methods have been developed, but with only limited evidence to support their use. This systematic review assesses the evidence regarding clinical outcomes of closed femoral diaphyseal fractures in children treated with plate fixation or flexible intramedullary nails.

Methods

A PROSPERO-registered, PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science (WoS) databases were searched from inception to February 2023. Inclusion criteria included clinical studies reporting adverse outcomes following surgical treatment of pediatric closed femoral diaphyseal fractures using plate fixation and flexible intramedullary nails. The ROBINS-I and RoB 2 tools evaluated the risk of bias.

Results

Thirteen papers (2 prospective randomized controlled trials and 11 retrospective cohorts) reported 805 closed diaphyseal femoral fractures in 801 children (559 males, 242 females). There were 360 plate fixations and 445 flexible intramedullary nails. Two cases of osteomyelitis and one nonunion were reported. Meta-analysis showed that plate fixation had a lower risk of soft tissue infection (relative risk 0.26 (95% confidence interval 0.07-0.92)). There was no difference in the following outcomes: malunion (relative risk 0.68 (95% confidence interval 0.32-1.44)); unplanned reoperation (relative risk 0.59 (95% confidence interval 0.31-1.14)), and leg-length difference (relative risk 1.58 (95% confidence interval 0.66-3.77)). The risk of bias was high in all studies.

Conclusions

An analysis of 805 fractures with minimal differences in meta-analyses is considered high quality even when the quality of the evidence is low. The findings are limited by important flaws in the methodology in the published literature. Well-designed multicentre prospective studies using standardized core outcomes are required to advise treatment recommendations.

Level of evidence

III.

Elastic stable intramedullary nail fixation versus submuscular plate fixation of pediatric femur shaft fractures in school age patients: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Studies of clinical outcomes that compare the elastic stable intramedullary nail (ESIN) with the submuscular plate (SMP) were controversial. The meta-analysis was performed to summarize existing evidence, aiming to determine whether ESIN was superior to SMP in pediatric femur shaft fractures.

METHODS

Search strategies followed the recommendations of the Cochrane collaboration. Electronic searches such as PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane were systematically searched for publications concerning ESIN and SMP from the inception date to March 2023. Two investigators independently searched, screened, and reviewed the full text of the article. Disagreements generated throughout the process were resolved by consensus, and if divergences remain, they were arbitrated by a third author.

RESULTS

This study included 8 articles, comprising a total of 561 patients with a similar baseline. Compared to the SMP, the ESIN had shorter operation time (mean difference = -16.16; 95% CI = -22.83 to -9.48, P < .00001), and less intraoperative blood loss (mean difference = -53.62; 95% CI = -58.89 to -48.36, P < .00001), but had a higher incidence of implant irritation (odds ratio [OR] = 6.49; 95% CI = 3.01 to 13.98, P < .0001), lower limb malalignment (OR = 2.60; 95% CI = 1.12 to 6.04, P = .96) and overall complications(OR = 4.14; 95% CI = 2.51 to 6.84, P < .0001). And there was no significant difference in radiation time, length of hospital stay, limb length discrepancy, infection rate, delayed union rate and unplanned revised surgery rate (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to the SMP, the ESIN offers shorter operative time, and less blood loss. However, the SMP is superior to ESINs in complication rates, especially regarding implant irritation and malalignment. Both methods could achieve excellent satisfactory functional outcomes. Thus, the SMP is an alternative choice in the pediatric femur shaft fracture.

Opioid Prescription Trends for Isolated Diaphyseal Femur Fractures in Pediatric Patients

Purpose: Despite the ongoing opioid epidemic, there is a lack of research on narcotic prescribing in the pediatric orthopaedic population. The Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) therefore published a survey on pain management to provide recommendations for opioid dosing. The goal of this study was to characterize opioid prescribing patterns for pediatric femur fractures in the context of the opioid epidemic and emerging national studies/guidelines.Methods: A retrospective review of 128 pediatric patients (age < 16) with isolated diaphyseal femur fractures was conducted between 2003-2019 at a level I pediatric trauma center. Comparison groups included before distribution of the POSNA survey (pre-POSNA = 01/01/2016 or earlier, N = 85) and after the survey (post-POSNA, N = 43).Results: Median total hospital postoperative opioids prescribed was 27.2 morphine milligram equivalents (MME). The two groups differed in age (pre-POSNA = 9.0 years, post-POSNA = 3.7 years, P = 0.0381), hospital length of stay (LOS) (pre-POSNA = 2 days, post-POSNA = 1 day, P < 0.0001), and procedural incision required for fracture reduction (pre-POSNA = 28.3%, post-POSNA = 58.1%, P = 0.0019). Adjusted postoperative opioid dosing was significantly lower post-POSNA (median reduction of 18.351 MME per year, P = 0.0408).Conclusions: The period following the POSNA survey was associated with a significant decline in postoperative narcotic prescriptions for pediatric femur fractures. The timing of the survey likely represents an increased concern for pediatric opioid use and a shift in clinical practice. Further work is needed to optimize injury and patient-specific narcotic prescribing.Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III.

Key Concepts

•The 2016 POSNA survey identified a lack of consensus on opioid prescribing practices for common orthopaedic procedures in the United States.•The 2016 POSNA survey and subsequent 2019 published narcotic prescription recommendations represent a shift in the specialty of orthopaedic surgery regarding opioid usage in the pediatric population.•Postoperative morphine milligram equivalents significantly decreased for the treatment of pediatric diaphyseal femur fractures at a single-level I pediatric trauma center following administration of the 2016 POSNA survey.

Titanium elastic nails vs locking plate in pediatric subtrochanteric femur fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

Titanium elastic nails (TENs) and locking plates (LPs) are currently the main internal fixation for treating pediatric subtrochanteric femur fractures, and the optimal choice of internal fixation is controversial. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of TENs and LPs in treating subtrochanteric fractures in children to provide a theoretical basis and reference for clinical treatment.

Methods

The literature related to TENs and LPs for treating subtrochanteric fractures in children was searched using the CNKI, PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science, and the search time frame was from the establishment of the database to October 2022. Two evaluators screened the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and extracted relevant data. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata14.0 software.

Results

A total of 9 studies with 407 patients with subtrochanteric femur fractures were included in the final screening, including 210 cases with TENs and 197 cases with LPs. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the locking plate, TEN had a shorter operative time [WMD = -1.3, 95%CI(-1.94,-0.66), p < 0.01], less intraoperative bleeding [WMD = -84.45, 95%CI(-111.09, -57.82), p < 0.01], shorter fracture healing time [WMD = -1.3, 95%CI(-1.94,-0.66), P < 0.01], shorter hospital stays [WMD = -2.80, 95% CI(-4.63,-0.98), p < 0.01], and earlier full weight bearing [SMD = -0.48, 95% CI(-0.91,-0.04), p < 0.05] but more intraoperative fluoroscopy [WMD = 28.23, 95% CI(15.22,41.25), p < 0.05]. The overall complication rate was high [OR = 3.52, 95% CI(1.96,6.34), p < 0.05], and the postoperative period was prone to angulation, rotation, and inversion deformity [OR = 3.68, 95% CI(1.40, 9.68), p < 0.05]. No significant difference in the incidence of lower limb inequality between the two types of internal fixation [OR = 0.83, 95% CI(0.38, 1.85), p > 0.05] and no significant difference in the Harris score of the hip at the last follow-up between the two types of internal fixation [WMD = -0.67, 95% CI(-2.01,0.67), p > 0.05] were found.

Conclusion

In comparison to LPs, TENs have a shorter operation time, less intraoperative bleeding, and a shorter fracture healing time, and the child can be fully weight-bearing earlier. Locking plates can reduce the operator's x-ray exposure, and the incidence rate of postoperative angulation, rotation, and inversion deformity is low. Therefore, TENs and LPs are the best internal fixation methods for treating subtrochanteric fractures in children.

Risk of complications following surgical fixation of femoral diaphyseal fractures in children aged 4 to 12 years: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

There is debate regarding the optimal surgical technique for fixing femoral diaphyseal fractures in children aged 4 to 12 years. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) have issued relevant guidelines, however, there is limited evidence to support these. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the complication rate following flexible intramedullary nailing (FIN), plate fixation and external fixation (EF) for traumatic femoral diaphyseal fractures in children aged 4 to 12.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases for interventional and observational studies. Two independent reviewers screened, assessed quality and extracted data from the identified studies. The primary outcome was the risk of any complication. Secondary outcomes assessed the risk of pre-specified individual complications.

RESULTS

Nine randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and 19 observational studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Within the RCTs, five analysed FIN (n = 161), two analysed plates (n = 51) and five analysed EF (n = 168). Within the observational studies, 13 analysed FIN (n = 610), seven analysed plates (n = 214) and six analysed EF (n = 153). The overall risk of complications was lower following plate fixation when compared to FIN fixation (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.73, p = 0.001) in the observational studies. The overall risk of complications was higher following EF when compared to FIN fixation in both RCTs (RR 1.94, 95% CI 1.25 to 3.01, p = 0.003) and observational studies (RR 1.97, 95% CI 1.50 to 2.58, p<0.001). The overall risk of complications was higher following EF when compared to plate fixation in both RCTs (RR 7.42, 95% CI 1.84 to 29.98, p = 0.005) and observational studies (RR 4.39, 95% CI 2.64 to 7.30, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Although NICE and the AAOS recommend FIN for femoral diaphyseal fractures in children aged 4 to 12, this study reports a significantly decreased relative risk of complications when these injuries are managed with plates. The overall quality of evidence is low, highlighting the need for a rigorous prospective multicentre randomised trial at low risk of bias due to randomisation and outcome measurement to identify if any fixation technique is superior.

Flexible Intramedullary Nail Versus Submuscular Locked Plate with the Cluster Technique in Pediatric Femoral Shaft Fractures Fixation

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is the comparison between the flexible intramedullary nail and submuscular Locked Plate with the cluster technique in fixation of pediatric femoral shaft fractures at the age group between 6 and 12 years old with simple diaphyseal closed or Gustilo open grade I fractures.

METHODS

Fifty children aged 6-12 years with femoral fractures were enrolled in this study. The children were randomly assigned equally to the two groups for fractures fixation. The follow-up period was 1 year. A comparison of various parameters and outcomes between both groups was documented.

RESULTS

No significant differences were detected between both groups regarding the age, gender, affected side, mechanisms of fracture, or fracture classifications. The operative time and radiation time were longer in the plating group, while the amount of blood loss was lesser in the nail group. The patients treated with plating had better results concerning knee range of motion, weight-bearing, malalignment, and length discrepancy, with fewer complications and better functional outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The result of the present study supports the use of submuscular locked plate with cluster technique in the treatment of studied fractures over flexible IMN.