Our femur is the strongest and longest bone in our body. Due to the high strength, an extremely large force is necessary to cause any fracture. These situations can include a high speed car crash and this is the most common reason for such fracture. A force that is beyond the normal limits of the femur will result in a fracture. The long and straight part of the femur is called the femoral shaft and when there is a break along the femoral shaft fracture, it is known as a femoral shaft fracture.
Causes of a femoral shaft fracture
Femoral shaft fractures usually occur in young people due to the type of activities they engage in. Most youngsters engage in high impact activities such as wakeboarding, football and racing. The most common reason is an automobile accident resulting in a car crash. Other less common causes can be an accidental fall from a certain height or even a simple fall in people of a higher age group. This is due to their weakened bones or existing medical conditions such as osteoporosis.
Treatment
Non-surgical treatment
Non-surgical treatment is meant for patients who do not have a displaced femoral shaft fracture. In cases like this, treatment will involve the usage of walking aids such as crutches or walker with the foot in a protective brace or splint for a period of time. However, most femoral shaft fractures will require surgery to properly heal.
Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment is needed for those who have displaced femoral shaft fractures and this will usually involve the realignment of the bones. Metal pins and screws will be placed into the bones located above and below the fracture site to properly hold the bone in the proper position to facilitate healing. It is a temporary treatment and will provide adequate stability until the patient is ready for stage 2 of the surgery – intramedullary nailing. A metal rod will be inserted into the marrow canal of the femur to hold it in its proper position. It is then screwed to the bone at both ends. The bone fragments will also be cleaned and joined together with the femur using screws and metal plates.
Patients suffering from a femur fracture should seek prompt medical attention as ignoring such symptoms will cause more damages to the femur and prevent healing of the fracture altogether, leading to a lifetime of instability and pain.
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