ABSTRACT
A prospective randomized study has been performed in Niamey in 106 children who were younger than 18 and presented a diaphyseal femoral fracture [DFF]. The goal of this study was to define the epidemiological profile of those children, to determine the place of the orthopedic treatment and to compare the costs of the different types of treat mend used in a developing country. We found that. These fractures are age de pendent and also related to the socio-economical status. The fore most causes of the fractures are the traffic accident. Seventy seven had an orthopedic treatment with a healing rate without sequels of 94,5%. Les complications were reported than in the industrialized countries because of a lour rate of surgical treatment orthopedic treatment was 6 times less costly than osteosynthesis. The cost of treatment was resolutely lower in Niamey than in the industrialized countries, but what the patient ultimately paid was much more because of the absence of a social security system. The orthopedic approach for closed DF in children has to be preferred in developing countries above to a surgical approach