5 A nine-year-old boy sustained an injury after falling from a height. The orthopaedic surgeon applies Bryant's traction. Which of the following bones is most likely to be injured?

1. A

   Tibia

2. B

   Femur

3. C

   Radius

4. D

   Humerus

Appeared in: AIIMS M.Sc. Nsg Entrance exam-2026

Explanation

• Bryant's traction is a type of skin traction specifically designed for treating fractures of the femoral shaft in young children.
• The procedure involves suspending both legs vertically at a 90-degree angle to the hips, using the child's body weight for counter-traction.
• Although typically used for children under 2 years old, among the given choices, only a femur fracture would be managed with Bryant's traction.
• The traction helps to maintain alignment of the fractured bone and reduce muscle spasms, which promotes healing.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: Bryant's traction is not used for tibia (shin bone) fractures. Treatment for pediatric tibia fractures typically involves casting or, if severe, other forms of traction or fixation.
• Option C: The radius is a bone in the forearm. Bryant's traction is exclusively for lower limb injuries.
• Option D: The humerus is the bone of the upper arm. Bryant's traction is a lower-body traction system and is anatomically unsuited for treating arm fractures.

Related Visual

• Visual 1: Diagram: A clear illustration of a child in Bryant's traction, showing the legs suspended at a 90-degree angle, the traction ropes and weights, and the buttocks slightly elevated from the bed. This helps visualize the correct setup.
• Visual 2: Anatomical Chart: A simple diagram of the lower body skeleton, highlighting the Femur, Tibia, and Fibula to help differentiate the bones mentioned in the options.

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Safe nursing care depends on performing Indication for Bryant's traction in pediatric orthopedic injuries in the correct sequence, documenting the action clearly, and monitoring for the expected response.
• A primary nursing responsibility for a child in Bryant's traction is frequent neurovascular assessment (checking the 5 P's: Pain, Pallor, Paresthesia, Pulselessness, Paralysis) to prevent complications like compartment syndrome, a medical emergency.
• Maintaining skin integrity is crucial. The skin wraps must be secure but not too tight, and the skin should be kept clean and dry to prevent breakdown.
• What if? If the nurse observes that the child's buttocks are resting flat on the bed, it means the counter-traction is lost. The nurse must immediately report this to the orthopedic team or physician, as the traction is not effective and needs adjustment. The nurse should not adjust the weights without an order.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the key term in the question stem: 'Bryant's traction'. This is a specific medical procedure.
• Recall or look up the primary indication for this specific procedure. Your knowledge base should link 'Bryant's traction' directly to 'femur fracture in young children'.
• Analyze the options provided: Tibia, Femur, Radius, Humerus.
• Notice the patient's age (9 years) is a potential distractor, as Bryant's traction is typically for younger children. However, the type of traction is a stronger clue than the patient's age in this context.
• Eliminate the incorrect options. Radius and Humerus are arm bones, so they are incorrect. Tibia fractures are not treated with this specific traction.
• Conclude that despite the age, the only plausible injury that would warrant Bryant's traction is a femur fracture.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Indication for Bryant's traction in pediatric orthopedic injuries.
• Stem keywords: nine-year-old boy, injury, fall, Bryant's traction
• Lead-in keywords: most likely
• Clinical cues: The use of a specific medical device (Bryant's traction) is the key clue to identifying the injury location.
• Clinical cues: The patient's age (9 years) is atypical for this procedure, which is a distractor, but it doesn't change the primary indication of the traction.

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QB3-3oFVUKBxpL_JFaNYcI

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