Double-Plating in the Comminuted Supracondylar Fracture of the Distal Femur

Yoon, Taek Rim; Jung, Sung Taek; Seo, Hyoung Yeon

Abstract

Supracondylar fracture of femur is not well suited to internal fixation. A wide canal, a thin cortex, comminution and compound wound make open reduction more difficult. Especially, type C2 and C3 on AO classification is problematic. The cases of nine patients who had type C2 or C3 fracture including three open fractures and deficient medial-cortical buttress were reviewed. Stable fixation was achieved with the lateral condylar buttress plate. Additional stabilization with a medial plate and bone graft from the iliac crest was applied in all nine patients. At an average duration of follow-up nineteen months(range from twelve to forty-eight months), all of the fracture had healed. Evaluation of the functional outcome revealed two excellent, three good and four fair results. In three patient, less than 90 degree of flexion of the knee was present and in six, the arc of flexion was limited to between 90 and 110 degrees. One patient had two centimeter shortening, one had medial screw loosening which need not additional fixation. The results of our study suggest that, for the treatment of patients who have a difficult fracture in whom stable fixation of the distal part of the femur cannot be achieved with a condylar buttress plate because of medial cortical communition, a short distal condylar fragment, or loss of metaphyseal bone, double-plating is indicated.