A transepiphyseal fracture of the proximal femur combined with a fracture of the mid-shaft of ipsilateral femur in a child: a case report and literature review

Abstract

The paper describes a rare fracture of proximal femur, classified by Delbet (Am J Surg 6:793–797, 1929) as type I (transepiphyseal type) combined with a fracture of the midshaft of ipsilateral femur in a 2-year-old child. Immediate operation with open reduction and internal fixation was successful. During the postoperative course, avascular necrosis (AVN) of capital femoral epiphysis was seen by bone scan. Applying an abduction orthosis used for the treatment of Legg-Calvè-Perthes disease, collapse of capital epiphysis was prevented. Although, a minimal area of AVN and coxa vara remained, no clinical complaints were recorded at the midterm follow-up. While reviewing the relevant literature, the type-I fractures need to be subclassified into two types for appropriate treatment and/or prediction of outcomes based on their anatomic location of the separated femoral capital epiphysis. In type Ia, femoral capital epiphysis is minimally displaced and within the acetabulum and in type Ib it is widely displaced and lying outside the capsule. Our case is a first case of a type Ib fracture of the proximal femur combined with a fracture of the midshaft of ipsilateral femur. Since the complication rate and the prognosis differed between two subclasses, type-Ib fractures need immediate surgical intervention, our case was prevented from massive AVN. And to prevent the collapse of femoral head following AVN, a major complication of the fracture of proximal femur in child, abduction orthosis is recommended as a choice of treatment.