Journal article
Locked plating of distal femur fractures leads to inconsistent and asymmetric callus formation
Journal of orthopaedic trauma, Vol.24(3), pp.156-162
03/2010
DOI: 10.1097/BOT.0b013e3181be6720
PMID: 20182251
Abstract
Locked plating constructs may be too stiff to reliably promote secondary bone healing. This study used a novel imaging technique to quantify periosteal callus formation of distal femur fractures stabilized with locking plates. It investigated the effects of cortex-to-plate distance, bridging span, and implant material on periosteal callus formation.
Retrospective cohort study.
One Level I and one Level II trauma center.
Sixty-four consecutive patients with distal femur fractures (AO types 32A, 33A-C) stabilized with periarticular locking plates.
Osteosynthesis using indirect reduction and bridge plating with periarticular locking plates.
Periosteal callus size on lateral and anteroposterior radiographs.
Callus size varied from 0 to 650 mm2. Deficient callus (20 mm2 or less) formed in 52%, 47%, and 37% of fractures at 6, 12, and 24 weeks postsurgery, respectively. Callus formation was asymmetric, whereby the medial cortex had on average 64% more callus (P=0.001) than the anterior or posterior cortices. A longer bridge span correlated minimally with an increased callus size at Week 6 (P=0.02), but no correlation was found at Weeks 12 and 24 postsurgery. Compared with stainless steel plates, titanium plates had 76%, 71%, and 56% more callus at Week 6 (P=0.04), Week 12 (P=0.03), and Week 24 (P=0.09), respectively.
Stabilization of distal femur fractures with periarticular locking plates can cause inconsistent and asymmetric formation of periosteal callus. A larger bridge span only minimally improves callus formation. The more flexible titanium plates enhanced callus formation compared with stainless steel plates.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Locked plating of distal femur fractures leads to inconsistent and asymmetric callus formation
- Creators
- Trevor J Lujan - Biomechanics Laboratory, Legacy Research & Technology Center, Portland, OR 97215, USAChris E HendersonSteven M MadeyDan C FitzpatrickJ Lawrence MarshMichael Bottlang
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of orthopaedic trauma, Vol.24(3), pp.156-162
- Publisher
- United States
- DOI
- 10.1097/BOT.0b013e3181be6720
- PMID
- 20182251
- ISSN
- 0890-5339
- eISSN
- 1531-2291
- Grant note
- R21 AR05361 / NIAMS NIH HHS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/2010
- Academic Unit
- Orthopedics and Rehabilitation
- Record Identifier
- 9984040567102771
Metrics
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