title: Surgical management of complex fractures of the distal femur.
abstract: Fractures of the distal femur are often complex injuries presenting numerous potential complications. The surgical management of these difficult injuries is based on classification, patient selection, and preoperative planning. The surgical approach and modified extensile approach include four fixation devices. The results with 63 patients and 68 injuries reviewed over a ten-year period consisted of 76% good to excellent results, five malunions, and a 4.4% infection rate.
authors.affiliation: Presbyterian Medical Center of Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Mize
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001858:Bone Nails; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies