[Rotational deformities as the complication of the conservative treatment of children's femoral shaft fractures (apparent cycles and clinical results)].

In this study, we tried to determine the frequency and violence of rotational deformities and evaluated their clinical results by the physical examination findings and the foot-progression angle in children's femoral shaft fractures to which it was applied the conservative treatment. In the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of Atatürk University Medical School, between 1992-1999 years, of 82 children who were treated with traction and spica cast, 50 who could be controls and had unilateral fracture were included into this study. Of these cases, 11 (22%) were females and 39 (78%) males. The average age was 4.2 years, ranging from 4 days to 13 years. The traction period was 10-25 (average 18.1) days, and the cast period was from 20 days to 12 weeks (average 8.4 weeks). The cases were followed up with an average period of 3.5 years (5 months-6 years). The foot-progression angle increased in 21 cases (42%) as average 2.1 degrees and decreased in 26 cases (52%) as average 4.9 degrees. The change amount in angle was excessive in the elder children, the proximal femoral fractures and the cases whose the follow-up was smaller than 1 year (p < 0.01). However, in the final control, none of the cases and their parents had complaint, and physical and walking examinations were normal. In the result of this study, it was concluded that the rotational deformities that were symptomatic and required treatment were not the common complication after the conservative treatment in children's femoral shaft fractures.