This
study is to compare the outcomes of pre-operative skeletal and skin traction in
adult femoral shaft fractures awaiting surgical fixation within two weeks of
presentation to the Accident Center of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. This study
was a clinical trial on 86 recruited patients with closed femoral shaft
fractures sustained within 24 hours of presentation grouped into 2 groups.
Descriptive and inferential statistics comprising frequency, percent-age,
Chi-square, independent sample t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used in
analyzing the data. Of the total number of patients involved in the study, 74%
(n=64) were males and 26% (n=22) were females with a mean age of 39.49 (SD
±15). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean visual analog
scale (VAS) pain assessment between the Skin traction group and Trans-tibia
skeletal traction group after traction. With regards to complications, the
difference between the Skin traction group and the Skeletal traction group was
statistically significant (P=0.001). Moreover, the mean blood loss compared
with the open type of reduction in the Trans-tibia skeletal traction group was
significantly less than the Skin traction group (p=0.000). This study has shown
that both skeletal traction and Skin traction were equally effective in
controlling pre-operative pain in adult patients with femoral shaft fractures
and do not affect intra-operative blood loss and post-operative management.
Therefore, pre-operative Skin traction can be considered a useful and cost-effective
method of maintaining alignment and pain relief in adult femoral shaft
fractures.
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