Hoppe, Sven; Keel, Marius Johann Baptist; Rueff, Nicolas; Rhoma, Issadig; Roche, Stephen; Maqungo, Sithombo (2015). Early versus delayed application of Thomas splints in patients with isolated femur shaft fractures: The benefits quantified. Injury - international journal of the care of the injured, 46(12), pp. 2410-2412. Elsevier 10.1016/j.injury.2015.09.039
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AIMS
To investigate and quantify the clinical benefits of early versus delayed application of Thomas splints in patients with isolated femur shaft fractures.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Level IV retrospective clinical and radiological analysis of patients presenting from January to December 2012 at a Level 1 Trauma Unit. All skeletally mature patients with isolated femur shaft fractures independently of their mechanism of injury were included. Exclusion criteria were: ipsilateral fracture of the lower limb, neck and supracondylar femur fractures, periprosthetic and incomplete fractures. Their clinical records were analysed for blood transfusion requirements, pulmonary complications, surgery time, duration of hospital stay and analgesic requirements.
RESULTS
A total of 106 patients met our inclusion criteria. There were 74 males and 32 females. Fifty seven (54%) patients were in the 'early splinted' group and 49 patients (46%) were in the 'delayed splinted' group (P>0.05). The need for blood transfusion was significantly reduced in the 'early splinted' group (P=0.04). There was a significantly higher rate of pulmonary complications in the 'delayed splinted' group (P=0.008). All other parameters were similar between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
The early application of Thomas splints for isolated femur fractures in non-polytraumatised patients has a clinically and statistically significant benefit of reducing the need for blood transfusions and the incidence of pulmonary complications.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Orthopaedic, Plastic and Hand Surgery (DOPH) > Clinic of Orthopaedic Surgery |
UniBE Contributor: |
Hoppe, Sven, Keel, Marius |
Subjects: |
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health |
ISSN: |
0020-1383 |
Publisher: |
Elsevier |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Fabian Röthlisberger |
Date Deposited: |
22 Mar 2016 08:09 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 14:52 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1016/j.injury.2015.09.039 |
PubMed ID: |
26492883 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Blood loss; Complications; Femur shaft fractures; Outcome; Thomas splint; Traction splint |
BORIS DOI: |
10.7892/boris.77122 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/77122 |
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