SHORTENING AND COMPENSATORY OVERGROWTH FOLLOWING FRACTURES OF THE FEMUR IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Two years ago, Kellogg Speed¹ reported sixty-seven cases of fracture of the femur in children in which he evaluated the relative results of treatment by cast, extension with the leg supported on the bed, and continuous extension with the leg elevated and supported by an over-head frame. His results decidedly favored the method last named. Burdick and Siris² also presented a paper advocating overhead continuous traction in treatment of fractures of the femur in children. The material presented in this paper is the result of the study of seventy-five children with fractured femur who were treated on the joint service of Dr. George G. Davis and myself at the Cook County Hospital between Jan. 1, 1922, and June 1, 1923. The ages of the children varied from 1 year to 11 years. Table 1 shows the occurrence of the fractures according to ages. All but three of these