A Comparative study of Locking versus Nonlocking plate in distal femur fractures.

Ravi Ranjan Kumar; Kunal Krishna; Manoj Kumar

Volume : V, Issue : XII, December - 2016

A Comparative study of Locking versus Nonlocking plate in distal femur fractures.

Ravi Ranjan Kumar, Kunal Krishna, Manoj Kumar

Abstract :

The management of distal femoral fractures has presented significant challenge to Orthopaedic surgeons. A wide medullary canal, thin cortex and poor bone stock make stable internal fixation in these fractures difficult This type of fracture is more common in young people with major trauma like motor vehicle accidents. In old patients with osteoporosis the fractures are often closed and occur following a minor trauma. The aim of our study was to compare the outcomes and complications of treatment of intra–articular distal femur fractures using locking and nonlocking condylar buttress plates. Methods: In this prospective study, 32 patients undergoing surgery due to type C distal femur fractures (T or Y condylar fracture) from 2012–2014 were included. Exclusion criteria like open fracture, comorbidities such as diabetes or end stage diseases and patients with other lower extremity fractures on the same side. For each patient demographic data including age, sex, mechanism of injury, and type of injury was collected. All patients were followed for at least one year postoperatively for functional outcome ,complications such as infection, non–union, and malunion. Results: In this study 19 patients (73%) were male and 13 (23%) female. The mean age of the locking group was 35.9 � 18.2 years and the nonlocking group 30.8 � 17.3 years. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age and sex. In both groups 4 patients had infections (11.1% in the locking group and 14.7% in the nonlocking group) and 2 patients in locking group and 1 patient in nonlocking group had nonunion. In the locking group 1 patients (8.9%)had implant failure.There was no implant failure in the nonlocking group. Conclusions: In our study the effects of treatment with both locking and nonlocking condylar buttress plates regarding infection and nonunion were similar but malunion and plate failure were higher in the locking group. Nonetheless, this difference was not statistically significant.