This review of the cases of fractured femur encountered in the St. Louis Children's Hospital was made primarily to present the method of treatment and its results in simple fractures. In addition, an analysis of the entire group of cases of fractured femur, including pathologic fractures, has been made.
ANALYSIS OF CASES
Altogether, the reports of thirty-five cases1 have been collected. Thirty-one of these were simple fractures, eighteen of which were treated by overhead traction.2 Considering the ratio of ages, fracture of the femur is much more common in infancy, five of the thirty cases occurring in infants, 1 year of age or under.Depending on the kind of fracture and the complications, six different methods of treatment have been used, viz.: (1) overhead traction; (2) plaster casts; (3) splints; (4) horizontal traction; (5) open reduction, and (6) modified Steinman pin.The five cases treated by plaster cast