Welcome to fractures Guide
Femur Fractions Article
Correct Treatment of Femur Fractions Will Make a Difference
from:Since we have many bones in our body, we are going to have many types of bone fractures in the body as well. Some fractures are going to be more serious than others because of the part of the body that is involved. Fractures that involve bones of the body that we use a lot or are used to support the body are going to be the most serious such as with femur fractions. The femur bone is the thighbone. This bone starts at the hip joint and continues down to the knee joint. The femur is a very strong bone. Used to hold a lot of weight, it takes a lot of force to get femur fractures. Therefore, when we do get femur fractures, they are usually going to be serious injuries that need immediate treatment.
If the patient is a normal healthy person it will take a major force to cause femur fractures. In most instances, the femur fractures will be caused by falls from a great height or automobile accidents. Occasionally, patients with a weakened bone condition such as osteoporosis may also get femur fractures easier because of the weak bone mass. These types of femur fractures are known as pathologic femur fractures.
Femur fractures are broken down into three different groups: proximal femur fractures, femoral shaft fractures and supracondylar femur fractures.
Proximal femur fractures, also known as hip fractures, are located in the highest part of the thighbone. These are quite common pathologic femur fractions as well. Femoral shaft fractures are very serious fractures that usually occur in large falls or high-speed automobile crashes. Surgery is almost always the method of treatment used for femoral shaft fractures. The surgery consists of a metal rod being inserted in the center of the thighbone to connect both ends of the bone together. The rods are then held together with screws. Unless they cause the patient severe pain, the rods are usually kept in the patient all of their life.
Supracondylar femur fractures are breaks that are right above the knee joint. This type of femur fracture affects the cartilage part of the knee and is usually unusual. Arthritis in the knee is a common development for these patients. Patients with severe osteoporosis or those who've had knee replacement surgery are more susceptible to supracondylar femur fractures. Treatment for this type of femur fraction is usually a brace or cast, screws, plate or may vary depending on the severity and the patient.
Each of these femur fractures can be equally serious depending on the patient's overall medical condition as well as their age and healing ability.