Outcome of a Nail-plate Fixation Combination for a Distal Femur Fracture in a 99-year-old Patient
Introduction: This report describes the use of a combination of a retrograde femoral nail and distal femur locking plate for the treatment of an open intra-articular distal femur fracture in a 99-year-old female. The purpose of this report is to highlight that nail-plate fixation constructs can be p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Indian Orthopaedic Research Group
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Orthopaedic Case Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://jocr.co.in/wp/2025/01/01/outcome-of-a-nail-plate-fixation-combination-for-a-distal-femur-fracture-in-a-99-year-old-patient/ |
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| author | Jacob A Linker Abhishek Ganta Kenneth A Egol Sanjit R Konda |
| author_facet | Jacob A Linker Abhishek Ganta Kenneth A Egol Sanjit R Konda |
| author_sort | Jacob A Linker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction:
This report describes the use of a combination of a retrograde femoral nail and distal femur locking plate for the treatment of an open intra-articular distal femur fracture in a 99-year-old female. The purpose of this report is to highlight that nail-plate fixation constructs can be performed percutaneously and expeditiously even in extremely old patients; therefore, patient age should not be a limiting factor in choosing this construct to allow for immediate weight-bearing.
Case Report:
The patient was a 99-year-old female who presented to the emergency room after a fall. Plain radiographs demonstrated a comminuted supracondylar distal femur fracture with a sagittal intercondylar split (OTA classification 33A3.3). She was indicated for operative repair and was fixed with a combination of a retrograde Stryker T2 alpha nail and Stryker distal femur locking plate. This method was chosen to allow the patient to be weight-bearing as tolerated after surgery so she could immediately start work with physical therapy to work towards getting back to her pre-injury ambulatory status. At 3 months post-operatively, she had minimal pain, no difficulties with activities of daily living, and was ambulating with the assistance of a cane. At 9 months post-operatively, she was ambulating with a cane (pre-injury status). She did not report any pain, and her radiographs illustrated fracture site consolidation. Furthermore, her short musculoskeletal functional assessment score was the same as it was pre-injury (81).
Conclusion:
This case supports the idea of using a nail-plate combination for repair of intra-articular distal femur fractures, even in the very elderly as the patient’s functional outcome data reached pre-injury levels. In addition, it allows even elderly patients to begin early weight-bearing and decreases complications related to lack of extremity use. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3040eea7d3594f5e9033d26363af82c6 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2250-0685 2321-3817 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Indian Orthopaedic Research Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Orthopaedic Case Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-3040eea7d3594f5e9033d26363af82c62025-08-20T02:10:17ZengIndian Orthopaedic Research GroupJournal of Orthopaedic Case Reports2250-06852321-38172025-01-01151465010.13107/jocr.2025.v15.i01.5120Outcome of a Nail-plate Fixation Combination for a Distal Femur Fracture in a 99-year-old PatientJacob A LinkerAbhishek GantaKenneth A EgolSanjit R KondaIntroduction: This report describes the use of a combination of a retrograde femoral nail and distal femur locking plate for the treatment of an open intra-articular distal femur fracture in a 99-year-old female. The purpose of this report is to highlight that nail-plate fixation constructs can be performed percutaneously and expeditiously even in extremely old patients; therefore, patient age should not be a limiting factor in choosing this construct to allow for immediate weight-bearing. Case Report: The patient was a 99-year-old female who presented to the emergency room after a fall. Plain radiographs demonstrated a comminuted supracondylar distal femur fracture with a sagittal intercondylar split (OTA classification 33A3.3). She was indicated for operative repair and was fixed with a combination of a retrograde Stryker T2 alpha nail and Stryker distal femur locking plate. This method was chosen to allow the patient to be weight-bearing as tolerated after surgery so she could immediately start work with physical therapy to work towards getting back to her pre-injury ambulatory status. At 3 months post-operatively, she had minimal pain, no difficulties with activities of daily living, and was ambulating with the assistance of a cane. At 9 months post-operatively, she was ambulating with a cane (pre-injury status). She did not report any pain, and her radiographs illustrated fracture site consolidation. Furthermore, her short musculoskeletal functional assessment score was the same as it was pre-injury (81). Conclusion: This case supports the idea of using a nail-plate combination for repair of intra-articular distal femur fractures, even in the very elderly as the patient’s functional outcome data reached pre-injury levels. In addition, it allows even elderly patients to begin early weight-bearing and decreases complications related to lack of extremity use.https://jocr.co.in/wp/2025/01/01/outcome-of-a-nail-plate-fixation-combination-for-a-distal-femur-fracture-in-a-99-year-old-patient/distal femurfemoral naildistal locking plategeriatricopen fracture |
| spellingShingle | Jacob A Linker Abhishek Ganta Kenneth A Egol Sanjit R Konda Outcome of a Nail-plate Fixation Combination for a Distal Femur Fracture in a 99-year-old Patient Journal of Orthopaedic Case Reports distal femur femoral nail distal locking plate geriatric open fracture |
| title | Outcome of a Nail-plate Fixation Combination for a Distal Femur Fracture in a 99-year-old Patient |
| title_full | Outcome of a Nail-plate Fixation Combination for a Distal Femur Fracture in a 99-year-old Patient |
| title_fullStr | Outcome of a Nail-plate Fixation Combination for a Distal Femur Fracture in a 99-year-old Patient |
| title_full_unstemmed | Outcome of a Nail-plate Fixation Combination for a Distal Femur Fracture in a 99-year-old Patient |
| title_short | Outcome of a Nail-plate Fixation Combination for a Distal Femur Fracture in a 99-year-old Patient |
| title_sort | outcome of a nail plate fixation combination for a distal femur fracture in a 99 year old patient |
| topic | distal femur femoral nail distal locking plate geriatric open fracture |
| url | https://jocr.co.in/wp/2025/01/01/outcome-of-a-nail-plate-fixation-combination-for-a-distal-femur-fracture-in-a-99-year-old-patient/ |
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