Investigation of the Lower Extremity Fractures in Children Who Applied to the Emergency Department of University Hospital

Introduction: Although bones are more flexible and have higher shock absorption ability in childhood than in adulthood, bone fractures are often seen in children who present to the emergency clinics after a trauma. This study was conducted to identify the pattern and the rate of traumatic lower extremity fractures in children. Methods: Files and X-rays of 485 patients aged under 18 years who presented to the Emergency Department of the Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Healthcare Research and Application Hospital after a trauma were retrospectively reviewed. Data of 146 children who presented with a trauma to the lower extremity were examined. Fractures were assessed based on age groups, gender, etiology, and the affected bone. Results: Of the 146 children who presented with a trauma to the lower extremity, 112 were male (77%) and 34 were female (23%). Traumas had been mostly experienced in the summer, followed by spring, autumn, and winter. The femur was the most commonly affected bone among the fractures caused by a trauma (n=32, 33.33%). Single-bone fractures most commonly involved the femur, followed by the tibia, the phalanx, and the metatarsal bones, whereas double-bone fractures most commonly involved the tibia and the fibula. Falling down was the major cause of trauma Discussion and Conclusion: We believe that the results of our study will help to better understand the occurrence of traumatic lower extremity fractures in children and offer guidance for taking the protective measures that will help to protect them, hence, to reduce fractures.