چكيده لاتين :
Background: Respiratory problems are common after long
bone fractures. The objective of the present investigation is to
evaluate the effect of early fixation of femoral shaft fracture
on the incidence of respiratory problems.
Methods: The results of early and late stabilization of femoral
shaft fractures were studied in 150 patients. The patients were
divided into two groups according to the status of their fractures.
Group I (n=123) had single and group II had multiple
fractures including femoral fractures. The patients in each group
were divided into two subgroups, depending on whether operated
within 48 hours (early) or in a longer period (late) after
injury. Serial arterial blood gas and chest radiographs were obtained
to assess the acute respiratory distress syndrome, fat embolism
syndrome, and abnormal blood gas values.
Results: Among 123 patients in group I, 63 were operated
early after trauma, and the incidence of respiratory complications
was 3.3% in comparison with 23.7% in the group II.
Whereas, in group II, 14 patients were in early operated subgroup
and 13 in late operated subgroup and the incidences of
respiratory complication were 7.1% and 76.5% respectively.
There was a significant difference in subclinical fat embolism
between early and late operated subgroups in group II.
Conclusion: Early fixation of femoral shaft fracture in patients
with femoral fractures greatly reduces pulmonary complications.
