LONGITUDINAL PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF THE FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME OF A DISTAL FEMUR FRACTURE CLASSIFIED AS OTA TYPE-C, WHICH IS TREATED WITH A LOCKING COMPRESSION PLATE, IS EXAMINED

Abstract

Background: A research investigation aimed to assess the functional outcomes achieved through the application of locking compression plates for the treatment of OTA type-C distal femoral fractures. These particular fractures constitute approximately 6.97% of all femoral fractures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of locking compression plates in treating distal femur fractures.

Method: Longitudinal prospective study which included a total of 170 patients, comprising both male and female individuals, underwent treatment for distal femoral fractures using locking compression plates. Various parameters including the cause of the wound, affected portion, subtype of fracture, and treatment outcomes were meticulously noted for analysis.

Result: Amongst the 170 patients, 89 of them were males and 81 of them were females. Notably, the leading cause of injury was falls in 38 cases and other causes in 20 cases. In terms of fracture subtypes, there were 70 cases of C¹, 60 cases of C², and 40 cases of C³. When considering laterality, 74 patients had left-sided fractures, while 96 had right-sided fractures. Importantly, these dissimilarities were found to be of statistical significance (P<0.05).

Regarding complications, the study identified four cases of deep infection, two cases of reduction loss, three cases of shortening, and one case of knee stiffness among the patients. Importantly, these complications also demonstrated a statistically significant distinction (P< 0.05).

Conclusion: Locking compression plates have been established to be an effective approach for the treatment of “distal femur fractures”. They offer outstanding sturdiness and contribute to the preservation of limb length and alignment.

Recommendation: The locking compression plate method offers an absolute benefit over the other conventional method, hence this approach should be considered for treating distal femur fractures