Your femur extends from your hip to your knee. It’s the longest bone in the human body. It’s also the strongest. Given the fact that it’s so strong, considerable trauma is required to fracture it. Femur fractures are mostly seen in the context of motor vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle accidents and falls from heights. Any suspected femoral fracture requires an immediate emergency room assessment and treatment. If a fracture is confirmed, the location, nature and extent of it will determine how it will be treated.
A doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis of a femur fracture based on the patient’s complaint of excruciating pain and the position of his or her leg. The fracture will be confirmed by x-rays, CT scan, bone scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI0. Femoral Neck and Intertrochanteric Fractures
That part of the femur that is located closest to the hip is called the proximal end or femoral neck of the bone. Femoral neck fractures occur when the ball at the proximal end of the femur is fractured. These fractures are difficult to treat. An intertrochanteric fracture is seen immediately below the femoral neck. They’re more easily treated than fractures of the femoral neck.Femoral Shaft Fractures
The femoral shaft is the long and straight part of the bone. It starts below the hip joint, and it extends to where the femur starts to widen above the knee. That’s where most femur fractures occur. Just about any type of a femoral shaft fracture is going to require surgery.Classification of Femur Fractures
Fractures of the femur are classified by where on the bone the fracture is, the direction or pattern of the fracture and whether tissue and skin have been torn by the break. Here are some common types of femoral fractures:
- Transverse fractures when the break goes horizontally across the bone.
- Oblique fractures that go diagonally across the bone.
- Comminuted fractures when the bone breaks into three or more fragments.
- Spiral fractures that are caused by a twisting motion. They resemble the stripes on a barber pole.
- Open fractures when bone protrudes through the skin or down into the bone itself.
Surgical Approaches
Intramedullary nailing is the most popular surgical procedure for the treatment of a femoral shaft fracture. A special metal rod is placed inside of the femur’s canal. At either the top or bottom of the femur, a titanium nail inserted. Screws are then used above and below the location of the break for purposes of aligning the bones until they heal. Another technique is known as external fixation. External fixators are applied through the skin and into the bone. They’re usually used temporarily until the patient is ready for internal fixation, but there are times when external fixators will remain until the bone heals. Hip replacement might be recommended for a femoral fracture if the ball of the femur was fractured.
Recovery
After surgery for a femoral fracture, expect to be out of bed and moving in a day or two and performing strengthening exercises with a physical therapist. He or she will select different pain reduction techniques and activities in efforts to improve motion and speed up improvement. Hospitalization should last from four days to a week. Most femoral shaft fracture patients reach maximum medical improvement within six months. Some might take longer, if there are complications.
Contact a Kentucky Personal Injury Lawyer
You’ll want to speak with us about any femur fracture that you suffered in or around Louisville, Lexington, Southern Indiana or across the state of Kentucky, as a result of the carelessness and negligence of somebody else. You might be eligible for significant compensation. Don’t give an opposing insurance company any type of a statement. Kentucky law doesn’t require you to give one. That insurer will only try to use your own words against you in the future to try and push some or all of the blame for your accident over onto you. Contact us first, and we’ll arrange for a free consultation and case evaluation. We’ll going to listen to you closely, and after that, we’ll answer your questions and advise you of your full range of legal options.
