Abstract
We examined the results of surgical treatment for distal femur fractures in our hospital from January 2005 to June 2009. There were 26 patients, 21 of whom were treated with a locking plate (LP; 19 with a MIPO approach) and 5 with an intramedullary nail (IN). We evaluated surgical time, use of bone grafts, timing of callus formation, femoral angle, ROM of the knee, and complications. No differences in the results were evident between LP and IN for any of the items, but delayed union was evident in 2 cases treated by LP. In the latter cases, delayed union appeared to have resulted from an inappropriate start to weight-bearing or the presence of a medial cortical gap. When selecting LP, it seems necessary to achieve medial cortical contact as soon as possible. In the case of comminuted fractures, bone grafting and a double plate should be considered.
