Leg length discrepancy following femoral shaft fracture in children : Clinical considerations and recommendations


Published online: Dec 27 2011

Hélène Hariga, Maryline Mousny, Pierre-Louis Docquier

From the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium

Abstract

Femoral shaft fracture in children is a frequently encountered problem. Residual leg length discrepancy persisting at skeletal maturity is the most common complication. In this study, a positive correlation was found between the amount of bone fragments overlap and the overgrowth phenomenon. When comparing final leg-length discrepancy with initial fragments overlap, 9.3 mm was found to be the maximal overlap to be tolerated in order to avoid significant leg length discrepancy.

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