Abdul Hafeez Khan, Naveed Ishaq Malik, Sohail Muzzamil, Sajid Ejaz Rao, Naveed Hussain Syed.
Neglected fractures in children, experience at combined military hospital, Lahore.
J Pak Orthop Assoc Jan ;23(3):135-41.

Objective: The objectives of the study were to describe the frequency of neglected or mismanaged fractures in children. Study Design: Descriptive study Place and Duration of Study: The one-year 2006 at Combined Military Hospital Lahore. Material and Method: All the children presenting in outdoor or in emergency with a fractured bone were included in this study, and grouped as fresh fractures managed either in outdoors or admitted for operative treatment and neglected fractures coming with an obvious delay and presenting with a maluniting or a malunited fracture. The parents of the children were questioned according to a feedback Performa, and a pattern of various causes of delay were ascertained. Results :Our study included 152 children with various fractures in our department. Out of the total, 34 children fell in the group of neglected fractures, all requiring surgical intervention. The study also showed the prevalent malpractices by Pehlwans (traditional bone setters - TBS) and their aftermath seen in the patients. The alarming ratio of children with fractures being treated by TBS due to different reasons and later presentation with a number of problems required operative treatment in 100% of the neglected group cannot be overemphasized. Conclusion: The study reflects a grave problem faced by our society, but with a prevailing apathy, we fail to notice the predicament.

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