Treatment:
Most of the femoral fractures require surgery. It is very rare that the femoral fracture is treated without surgeries, which usually happens in case of small children where doctors put a cast to treat the fracture.
The surgical treatment requires to be started within 24-48 hours of the accident. While preparing for the surgery, the doctors usually place the broken leg on to a splint or in traction to maintain the length of the leg.
External Fixation: In this procedure, specialized metal pins and screws are placed externally above and below the site of fracture, and these pins and screws are attached to a bar outside the skin. This structure helps to hold the bone in position.
Usually, external fixation is a temporary treatment for broken femur, when the patient is not ready for a long and complicated surgical procedure. Once the patient is medically and physically ready for the surgery, the external fixators are removed and internal fixation is done.
Intramedullary nailing: During this procedure, a specifically designed metal rod is inserted into the femur which passes across the fracture to keep it in position. These rods are usually made of titanium, and come in various sizes and lengths to suit the patient’s requirement.
Plates and screws: Plates and screws are used when intramedullary screws are not possible. In this type of arrangement, the broken bones are first repositioned into their normal position and held together with screws and plates fixed to the outer surface of the bone.