OBJECTIVETo compare clinical effects between Pavlik harness and Bryant traction in treating femoral shaft fractures in infants,including the time of hospitalization, expense of treatment, complications,time of bone union.

METHODSFrom May 2005 to August 2010,the clinical data of 42 infants with femoral shaft fractures were retrospectively analyzed. Among the patients, 23 cases were treated with Pavlik harness(Pavlik harness group),there were 14 males and 9 females,ranging in age from 1 to 12 months with an average of (5.5+/-2.4) months,including upper 1/3 segment of 16 cases and middle segment of 7 cases; transverse fracture of 18 cases and oblique fracture of 5 cases. The other 19 patients were treated with Bryant traction (Bryant traction group),there were 15 males and 4 females,ranging in age from 2 to 12 months with an average of (6.7+/-2.8) months,including upper 1/3 segment of 13 cases and middle segment of 6 cases;transverse fracture of 12 cases and oblique fracture of 7 cases. The time of hospitalization,expense of treatment,complications,time of bone union were analyzed in the patients.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up with an average of 25.3 months (ranging from 19 to 30) in Pavlik harness group and 23.7 months (ranging from 17 to 28) in Bryant traction group. Time of hospitalization, expense of treatment in Pavlik harness group were respectively (0.4+/-0.7) d, (2147.7+/-64.9) yuan; and in Bryant traction group were respectively(27.1+/-2.2) d, (2741.3+/-227.6) yuan;there was significant difference between two groups(P<0.05). No complication was found in Pavlik harness group and 8 cases complicated with skin hydroa in Bryant traction group, there was significant difference between two groups (P<0.05). Time of bone union,difference of both lower extremities in Pavlik harness group were respectively (4.1+/-0.3)weeks, (6.3+/-4.1) mm;and in Bryant traction group were respectively (3.9+/-0.3) weeks, (7.6 +/-4.3) mm; 20 cases got bone healing in Pavlik harness group and 18 cases got bone healing in Bryant traction group;there was no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONCompared with Bryant traction method,Pavlik harness method has obvious advantages in time of hospitalization, expense of treatment, complications in treating femoral shaft fractures in infants.