Are Bilateral Femoral Fractures No Longer a Marker for Death?

• DOI: 10.1097/bot.0b013e3182a83fdf
• Publication Date: 2013-08-27T09:27:51Z
• Authors: Robert V. O'Toole; Benjamin J. Lindb...; Emily Hui; Amelia Fiastro; Henry Boateng; Michael O'Brien; Latasha Murphy; Carol E. Copeland
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Academic Medical Centers; Urban Population; Prognosis; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Injury Severity Score; 0302 clinical medicine; Trauma Centers; Humans; Female; Femoral Fractures; Retrospective Studies

To determine whether previously reported high mortality rates associated with bilateral femoral fractures have decreased over time.Retrospective review.Urban academic trauma center.54 adults treated at our center from 2000 to 2006. The 108 were initially external fixation (11%), reamed antegrade nailing (23%), and retrograde (67%). Unilateral control group: 461 patients unilateral 2002 2005.Univariate analysis compared results those of a published historical group the same approximately 15 years ago (study period, 1984-1990).Mortality rates.We noted marked differences between current rate that group. time for both (26%-7%, P = 0.002) (12%-2%, 0.0001) fractures. Mortality still significantly higher (P 0.037) (7%) than (2%) fractures.Mortality Injury Severity Scores reduced data center. improved outcome might be related in part changes resuscitation, triage, intensive care, orthopaedic management patients. However, considering Score also decreased, improvement occurred because injury patterns, perhaps secondary safety features motor vehicles.Prognostic level III. See instructions authors complete description levels evidence.