Treatment of distal femur fractures with locking plates : Comparison of periprosthetic fractures above total knee arthroplasty and non-periprosthetic fractures


Published online: Sep 27 2014

Sang Jun SONG, Kang Il KIM, Wook jae SONG, Dong Kyoon KIM, Dae Kyung BAE

From Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to compare the results and plate fit of periprosthetic and non-periprosthetic distal femur fractures fixed with locking plates. Twenty-one periprosthetic fractures above a TKA and 27 non-periprosthetic fractures were retrospectively reviewed. The primary healing rate, bone union time, clinical and radiographic results, complications, and additional surgeries were compared between the two groups. The quality of the plate fit on the bone was also compared. There were no differences in the primary healing rate, bone union time, clinical and radiographic results between the two groups. The incidence of overall complication and additional surgeries did not differ (3/21 vs. 5/27, 1/21 vs. 4/27). Plate fit trouble was observed more frequently in periprosthetic fractures (10/21 vs. 1/27, p = 0.004). Fixation of distal femur fractures with locking plates provided satisfactory results with a low risk of complications and additional surgeries in both periprosthetic and non-periprosthetic fractures.