Pattern of Femoral Fractures in Ughelli North, Nigeria (Ten Years Retrospective Study)

Background: Femoral fractures are common injuries that affect people of all ages in most populated cities as a result of commercial activities in these areas. This study aimed at determining the patterns of femoral fractures in Ughelli North Local Government Area. Materials and Methods: It adopted a retrospective study design and made use of purposive sampling technique. Data was retrieved from medical records of the hospital and was analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 22.0. A total of 2,346 subjects (60.9% males and 39.1% females) with a mean age of 40.9 ± 16.87 years. Result showed that most common type of fracture was the open fracture (n=541, 23.1%), oblique (n=475, 20.2%), transverse (n=461, 19.7%), spiral (n=448, 19.1%), comminuted (n=365, 15.6%) and closed (n=56, 2.4%). Further findings reveal that the most frequent site of fracture was midshaft (n=1020, 43.5%), with distal site (n=688, 29.3%) and the proximal site (n=638, 27.2%). Conclusion: The most prevalent type was the open femoral fracture; however, the midshaft region of the femur was more common especially in male subjects, why the middle age group (31-60) was the most affected.

Key Words: Femur, Fracture, Ughelli-north