Fifty-four children who had been treated with 90-90 skeletal traction
for a fracture of the femoral shaft were examined after an average
follow-up of 4.3 years. All of the patients were functioning normally and
had a symmetrical range of motion of both hips and knees. A limb-length
discrepancy of more than thirteen millimeters was found in three of
thirty-nine children who were less than eleven years old and in eight of
fifteen who were more than eleven years old. Traction pins that were placed
obliquely were associated with a statistically significant (p less than
0.01) and predictable difference in the intercondylar angle (axis of the
knee joint) as compared with pins that were placed horizontally. The study
showed that pins for skeletal traction should be placed parallel to the
axis of the knee joint and that fractures in children who are more than
eleven years old should be reduced without overriding.