Study of Functional Outcome of Distal Femur Fractures Treated by Open Reduction and Internal Fixation With Locking Compression Plate

Abstract

BACKGROUNDDistal femur fractures account for about 7% of all femur fractures. These fractures can lead to knee stiffness and have the tendency to collapse into varus. The management of distal femur fractures has seen a paradigm shift from nonoperative measures to biological fixation and evolution of modern implants like Locking Compression Plate has been used in current times. With the use of Locking Compression Plate double plating can be avoided. In our study, we have evaluated the short-term Functional Outcome of patients who underwent open reduction internal fixation with Locking Compression Plate using Sander's criteria. Ours is both prospective and retrospective study of 20 patients with distal femur fractures treated operatively from April 2013 to October 2015. Our surgical modality of treatment is open reduction and internal fixation with locking compression plate using standard lateral approach. We have used AO classification to classify the distal femur fractures. With the results of our study, we have come to a conclusion that locking compression plate is a best option for both intra-articular and extra-articular distal femur fractures. It avoids the use of dual plating of distal femur which requires extensive soft tissue stripping in both sides, resulting in reduced blood supply, potential non-union and implant failure. Locking Compression Plate also helps in anatomical reduction of comminuted intra-articular fractures and it could also be used effectively in osteoporotic bone.