When it comes to severe injuries, a femur fracture stands out, demanding immediate and skilled care. This injury, involving a break in the thigh bone, occurs due to significant force, often from vehicle accidents or major falls. Such a scenario not only brings intense pain but also kicks off a complex recovery phase.
Sri Balaji Hospital offers the best fracture treatment in Chennai. Our ortho team excels at diagnosing the extent and type of your fracture and determining the best course of treatment to restore strength and stability to your femur.
Without further delay, let us explore the essentials of femur fractures, including injury details, treatment choices, and the recovery journey.
Insights into Broken Femur: A Detailed Look
A femur fracture is a serious injury. Why? Because it is the longest bone in your body and the one that connects your hip with your knee. Since it is the strongest and heaviest bone in your body, it requires tremendous force to break it.
This force often comes from high-impact situations, like motor vehicle collisions. Other causes include falls from great heights or direct impacts. These events can lead to various fracture types, from stable, where bone pieces stay aligned, to displaced, where alignment is lost. The skin could either stay whole or become penetrated by bone fragments during a fracture.
The immediate result of such a fracture includes severe pain, inability to bear weight on the affected leg, and possible visible deformity. A broken femur may also cause other complications, such as:
- Loss of blood.
- Fracture of the hip bone if you break the upper part of the femur that connects with the hip joint.
- Damage to the knee if the lower part of the femur close the knee joint breaks.
In sum, knowing the anatomy of the femur, fracture causes, and initial injury impacts lays the groundwork for recovery. Exploring femur fracture specifics, including types and consequences, highlights the need for customised treatment approaches for effective healing and rehabilitation.
Classification of Femoral Fractures
There’s no predicting how a bone breaks and the femur is no exception. Although it is a single, long bone, the femur can break in various ways. Femur fractures are classified based on various criteria, but the most significant, to decide the plan of treatment is:
- Stable Fracture: Straight alignment of fractured bone fragments. It will require a little manipulation to set the bone to the desired position.
- Displaced Fracture: Fracture fragments are broken and found to be apart. These fractures might require surgical intervention to bring fracture fragments together and hold the bone in position using metal implants (usually titanium or stainless steel).
- Closed fractures: The skin surrounding the fracture remains intact.
- Comminuted Fracture: The bone breaks into three or more fragments, presenting a treatment challenge. The number of fragments corresponds to the amount of force needed to break the bone, which itself is indicative of a high velocity of impact and has the potential to create more severe blood loss as well as damage to surrounding soft tissues and vital structures such as arteries, nerves, etc.
- Open Fracture: It is the most severe, with bone fragments piercing the skin or a wound reaching the bone. It raises infection risks and necessitates immediate and comprehensive care.
The fracture also differs according to the location of the femur. It is classified as:
- Proximal Femur Fractures- Near the hip, affecting mobility.
- Femoral Shaft Fractures- Involve the bone's long section, typically from high-energy impacts.
- Supracondylar Femur Fractures- Just above the knee, affecting knee function and stability.
Each type of femur fracture requires accurate diagnosis and customised treatment to heal the bone and restore muscle strength and joint functionality.
What Causes Femur Fractures & How to Identify a Fracture
The femur is a tough bone to break. However, it can fail due to an impactful fall, accident, vehicular crash, or gunshots. Senior citizens with osteoporosis are also prone to femur fractures.
Identifying Femur Fractures: The Symptoms
Like any fracture, femur fractures can cause excruciating pain, the first noticeable sign of a broken bone. The other symptoms include:
- Swelling and/ or deformity of the thigh.
- Tenting of skin by a fractured fragment pushing the skin but not piercing it.
- Broken bones protruding through your skin and causing bleeding.
- Severely bruised thigh area
- Severe swelling around the fractured site
- The injured leg is shorter than the uninjured leg. This happens due to the over-riding of the broken thigh bone, resulting in the appearance of the affected limb being shorter than the uninjured one.
Accurate diagnosis of the symptoms is critical for determining the treatment plan without delay since the femur is indispensable in supporting body weight and enabling functionality. With the correct diagnosis and treatment strategy, the journey from injury to full recovery, though daunting, is achievable for many.
Complications of Femur Fracture
Certain factors heighten the risk of complications following a femur fracture. The fracture's severity and location, along with your age and general health, play significant roles. The possible risks are:
- Infections from open fractures
- Complications from ORIF (Open Reduction and Internal Fixation)
- Blood clots
- Improper bone healing
- Muscle Atrophy and joint stiffness post-surgery
Also Read: Why Childhood Bone Fractures Are Complicated Injuries
Diagnostic Tests For Femur Fracture: The Role of Imaging
When a femur fracture is suspected, the diagnosis begins with a thorough medical history and physical examination. This step is essential, offering insights into the nature of the injury and any other health factors affecting treatment choices. Information like the impact force during a car crash or a fall hints at the fracture's potential severity.
X-rays are the most common method to clearly show whether the bone is intact or fractured type and location. However, X-rays might not capture all details, especially with fragile fracture lines.
In such scenarios, a CT scan might be necessary. Offering detailed cross-sectional views, CT scans allow a clearer understanding of the fracture's severity. They are accommodating when fracture lines are challenging to detect on X-rays, aiding in comprehensive injury assessment and treatment planning.
Knowing the specifics of a fracture, like its pattern and whether skin and muscle are damaged, is critical for treatment planning. These insights help healthcare providers select the most suitable surgical options, ensuring bone realignment and a smooth healing journey.
Surgical Treatments for a Broken Femur: Options and Objectives
Key surgical options for femur fractures include:
- External Fixation- Pins or screws are placed into the bone around the fracture, connected to an external frame. This method is indicated for open fractures and/or fractures involving the femur as well as the knee joint or shin bone.
- Intramedullary Nailing- A metal rod is inserted into the femur's marrow canal, secured with screws to maintain alignment.
- Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF)- Direct access to the fracture allows for bone fragment realignment, secured with metal plates and screws.
While surgery can help realign the bone and initiate healing, the real recovery lies in post-surgical care.
Recovery Post Femur Fracture - Emphasising Care and Therapy
Physical therapy is the cornerstone of recovery. It aims to improve muscle strength, joint motion, and flexibility. That is why, here at Sri Balaji Hospital, emphasis is given to ensuring complete recovery and healing of the broken femur and to complete recovery of the joints associated with the femur (hip & knee joints).
That is why, under the expert guidance of Dr. Balaji Subramanian (Consultant & head of trauma and joint surgeries), we have devised a protocol which involves starting hip & knee bending exercises on day 1 after the fracture treatment is initiated as well as getting the patient up and out of bed within 48 hours. This not only helps in achieving a state of good physical health but also a positive state of mind that he is set to continue his/ her life independently without having to worry about external care or support to go about their daily routines.
Sri Balaji Hospital: Comprehensive Care for Femur Fractures
The journey from experiencing a femur fracture to full recovery is filled with challenges and milestones of progress and healing. By understanding your injury, actively engaging in a personalised treatment plan, and dedicating yourself to rehabilitation, you make essential strides towards regaining mobility and strength.
At Sri Balaji Hospital, the best ortho hospital in Chennai, we are ready to support you every step of the way. With top-notch facilities and a patient-focused approach, we prioritise your recovery. Your health and well-being are precious. Reach out for the specialised healthcare you deserve. Book your appointment today—prioritise your health!
