Majji Chandrasekharam Naidu1
BACKGROUND
We reviewed a series of 30 displaced supracondylar and intercondylar fractures of the distal end of the femur that were treated over a 2 years period by open reduction and internal fixation using the distal femur LCP. A strict rating scale incorporating subjective data and objective motion of the involved knee was used for the results. At a mean follow-up of 2 years, the results in 8 patients were rated excellent, the results in 12 were rated as good, the results in 4 as fair and the results in 1 as poor. Complications were found in 2 patients (6.66%). Complications included postoperative osteomyelitis in one and superficial infection and wound haematoma in one patient.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this study, we have included consecutive 30 supracondylar and intercondylar fractures of femur (both Muller’s type ‘A’, type ‘B’ and type ‘C’ fractures) and treated with open reduction and internal fixation by locking compression plate in the Department of Orthopaedics, ACSR GMC, Nellore, from August 2015 to November 2017.
RESULTS
At a mean follow-up of 2 years, the results in 8 patients were rated excellent, the results in 12 were rated as good, the results in 4 as fair and the results in 1 as poor. Complications were found in 2 patients (6.66%). Complications included postoperative osteomyelitis in one and superficial infection and wound haematoma in one patient.
CONCLUSION
The goals of treatment are anatomic reduction of the articular surface, restoration of limb alignment, length and rotation and stable fixation that allows for early mobilisation. Nonetheless, internal fixation of the distal femur can be difficult for several reasons- thin cortices, a wide medullary canal, compromised bone stock and fracture comminution that make stable internal fixation often difficult to achieve.3,4 Although, better methods of fixation have dramatically improved clinical results, the operative management of these difficult fractures is not uniformly successful. This paper includes detailed study on behaviour of fractures of distal femur after internal fixation and an attempt is made to manage these fractures with early ambulation and least disability. Technique of open reduction and fixation of LCP provides biomechanically stable construct. Several clinical studies have established with LCP as a biologically friendly and technically sound methods of fixation.
KEYWORDS
Locking Compression Plate, Supracondylar Fractures, Open Reduction, Intraarticular Fractures.
