High Energy Femur Fracture treated with a Temporary External Fixator

Femur Fractures

The femur (thigh bone) is the largest bone in the body and fractures usually involve high energy trauma such as car accidents.  Femur fractures are a spectrum ranging from simple closed fractures to severe open injuries with extensive bone loss. The standard of care in most institutions is repair with a device called an intramedullary nail, which is a round titanium nail inserted in the hollow portion of the bone. Most surgeons will attempt to repair femur fractures with the first 24 hours of surgery for pain relief and prevention of blood clots. If surgery is expected to be postponed for longer than this, I will insert a traction pin to hold the bones roughly aligned and to relieve pain. Most patients with femur fractures heal quickly but I keep most patients on crutches for the first 4-6 weeks after surgery. Pool therapy is very useful during this time as it allows for some motion without putting stress on the surgical repair. The biggest risk after surgery is blood clots in the veins of the legs and pelvis and I treat all patients with a medication called low molecular weight heparin for the first two weeks after surgery. After 6 weeks I allow patients to begin putting full weight on their leg and start more aggressive physical therapy. Full recovery for most femur fractures takes 6-8 months.  Many patients complain of mild irritation from the nail in the femur and I often recommend removal of the nail after 12 months. This is a short outpatient surgery that usually takes about an hour to perform and the use of crutches or protected weight bearing after surgery is not indicated.

Femur Fracture treated with a minimally invasive plate technique