The Treatment of Type I Open Fractures in Pediatrics

Launched by ANN & ROBERT H LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO · Mar 25, 2009

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying the treatment of type I open fractures in children, which are injuries where the bone is broken and the skin is also damaged. Normally, these fractures require surgery to clean the wound and fix the bone. However, some doctors think that smaller open fractures might be treated safely in the emergency room without surgery, using simple methods like cleaning the wound and providing antibiotics. The goal of this study is to find out if treating these injuries without surgery can lead to similar healing results, such as infection rates and recovery time.

To participate in this trial, children aged 3 to 14 with specific types of open fractures may be eligible. Key criteria include having a small wound (less than 1 cm) and an injury from a low-energy event, like a fall from a short height. The children who join the study will be randomly assigned to either receive standard surgical treatment or emergency room care without surgery. Throughout the trial, researchers will monitor and compare how well both groups heal, looking at factors like infection rates and the need for follow-up procedures. This trial is currently recruiting participants, and it aims to provide valuable insights into how we can best treat these injuries in young patients.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • open fracture amenable to treatment by closed reduction
• • low energy mechanism of injury (e.g., falls from less than 10 feet, bicycle accidents)
• • wound less than 1cm in length and the bone not visualized through the skin
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • open fracture not amenable to treatment by closed reduction
• • open fracture that would typically require operative reduction and fixation
• • high energy mechanism of injury (e.g., struck by vehicle, motor vehicle accidents, fall from height greater than 10 feet)
• • wound greater than 1cm in length
• • gross contamination of wound
• • open fractures involving hands or feet (the current standard of care to treat open injuries involving hands or feet is only emergency room management)