Treatment of long bone fractures in children by flexible titanium elastic nails

Background: Elastic intra-medullary nailing is a new technique for treatment of various paediatric fractures. The use of these titanium nails is preferred over conventional stainless steel nails used in the past. Method: Sixty patients with various long bone fractures underwent operative treatment with elastic intra-medullary nails. The mean age was ten years and the mean follow-up period was 28 months. Results: All children achieved union in a mean time of 10 weeks. Few technical complications were seen earlier on in the series. Two cases developed infection which resolved with antibiotics. Insignificant limb length discrepancy was seen in 3 children, but this remains a potential problem which needs close follow-up until skeletal maturity. Conclusion: Elastic intra-medullary nailing of long bone fracture is an excellent technique in the surgical treatment of long bone fracture in children. It is safe, less invasive and associated with fewer complications.