Sir,

During, the past two years, 134 cases of fracture of femur, tibia and scaphoid were treated conservatively with oral phenytoin sodium. The drug was given, within first 3 weeks of the fracture, in doses of 100 and 50mg three times a day for adults and children below 12 years of age, respectively, for one week only. Clinical and radiological healing of fractures was evaluated simultaneously (Table). There were no side effects.
Time taken for callous formation was reduced 30-40% in cases of tibia and femur and 50% in scaphoid, irrespective of fracture being simple or compound, thereby reducing the hospital stay and encouraging early return to work.



R.A. Mirza, *Rehmatullah, Sher Baz
Departments of Surgery and *Radio1ogy, District Headquarter Hospital, Gilgit.