Growth disturbances following fractures of the femur and tibia in children.

The authors reviewed 477 diaphyseal fractures of the long bones in the lower limbs of children between the ages of one to 11 years treated at our Institute between 1976 and 1982. The objective was to evaluate the incidence and extent of post fracture lengthening and its possible relationship to the method of treatment. The amount of lengthening observed never exceeded 2 cms. and this always occurred in the early months after injury and then ceased. There was no statistical relationship with the method of treatment or with the type of fracture. For any valid assessment of such statistics, however, it would be necessary first to know the incidence of lower limb dysmetria in a similar group of normal children who had not sustained fractures.