Bilateral periprosthetic distal femoral fractures following total knee arthroplasty
Özal Özcan1, Hakan Boya2, Ali Ateş1, Fırat Doğruöz1
1Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medical Faculty of Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyon, Turkey
2Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Başkent University Zübeyde Hanım Application and Research Center, İzmir, Turkey
Keywords: Knee prosthesis; locking plate; periprosthetic fracture.
Abstract
Periprosthetic supracondylar femur fractures following total knee arthroplasty are infrequent, but challenging to clinicians. In this article, we present a 74-year-old female case of bilateral supracondylar femoral periprosthetic fractures which were treated with locking plates. The fractures were healed with osseous union, the range of motion was 0-110° for each knee, and there was a 6° residual varus deformity in the left knee. The functional results were excellent during two-year follow-up. Open reduction and locking plate fixation are effective treatment methods for periprosthetic supracondylar fractures following total knee arthroplasty in selected patients. If an anterior femoral notching accidentally develops during the intraoperative setting, using a femoral component with an attached intramedullary stem supports weakened distal part of the femur.