Ortho Case of the Week – Hip and Femur
Break a leg!
Case 1: 84-year-old female BIBEMS after a mechanical fall with left hip pain. On exam, her left leg is shortened and held in external rotation. Below is the pelvis x-ray you get in the trauma bay.
1. Name the different anatomic sites of the femur fractures on the diagram below.
2. What kind of fracture does she have?
Case 2: 31-year-old male BIBEMS after MCC at highway speeds with gross deformity and extreme pain to his left thigh. You obtain an x-ray of his femur in the trauma bay, below.
1. In what injury or clinical scenario would you apply a traction splint? What are the contraindications?
2. How do you correctly apply a traction splint? (Hint: the answer is NOT have the medic do it or wait for ortho…)
Unsure? watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9gJ9QBEA88
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