Long leg splinting for pediatric femur fractures.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric femur fractures are frequently encountered injuries frequently treated with spica casting. Spica casting may, however, be expensive and burdensome to patients. A possible alternative is a long leg splint.

METHODS: Patients aged 6 months to 5 years old who were treated for a femoral shaft fracture with a long leg splint extending above the waist were matched with a patient treated with a spica cast.

RESULTS: At the time of healing, the alignment in the spica cast group was only significantly better than the alignment of the splint group with respect to coronal angulation.