Children with hip and thigh implants designed to help heal a broken bone or correct other bone conditions are at high risk of subsequent fractures, according a new research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
For the study, researchers analysed more than 500 paediatric bone implants performed at Johns Hopkins over 15 years.
The study results revealed that more than nine out of 1,000 hip and thigh implants were associated with hip and thigh fractures, which is 15 times the risk associated with implants in other bones, the researchers note.
According to researchers, hip and thigh bones experience the highest stress as their shape changes rapidly during growth, so removing these implants may be especially important for children.
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center orthopaedic surgery director Paul Sponseller said that removing the implant early and as soon as the bone heals is a wise consideration for all children with hip and thigh implants, but even more so for patients with already vulnerable bone structure.