The condylar plate for treatment of distal femoral fractures: a long-term follow-up study.

The aim of this retrospective study was to present the long-term functional and radiological outcomes of indirect reduction techniques and fixation with a condylar plate for treatment of distal femoral supracondylar or intracondylar femoral fractures. The series included 24 men and 17 women, mean age 51 years, between March 1994 and April 1999. All fractures were AO type 33, and eight were open fractures. Primary iliac bone graft was used in five cases. In one case of severe osteoporosis, screw fixation was augmented with cement. There were three delayed unions, one non-union and two infections; four participants required reoperation with bone grafts. Two (5%) participants developed a second varus deformity and three a second valgus deformity; correction osteotomy with bone grafts was necessary in these cases. After a mean follow-up of 9.5 years, the mean Neer score was 82 points and indicated that function was excellent in 16, satisfactory in 9, unsatisfactory in 4 and poor in 2 cases. The mean Neer score in cases of isolated fracture was 89 points and in cases with additional injuries was 72 points. Thus the long-term results of indirect reduction techniques of distal femoral fractures treated with the condylar plate were good to excellent in 82% of cases.