The use of a locked plate in the treatment of ununited femoral shaft fractures.
BACKGROUND
Sixteen patients with ununited fractures of the femur were treated by locked plate. There were 14 men and 2 women. The youngest patient was 18 years old and the oldest was 48 years (average, 32.9 years). Two fractures were infected and 14 were noninfected.


METHODS
Time between injury and operation varied from 4 to 26 months (average, 8.2 months). A standard broad dynamic compression plate and AO washers and nuts were used to construct a locked plate. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 24 months.


RESULTS
All fractures have healed after this operation; bone graft was not used in any of them. Time until healing ranged from 4 to 6 months (average, 4.9 months). Shortening after surgery ranged from 0 to 5 cm (average, 1.8 cm). There was no metal failure or recurrence of infection. Two patients were readmitted 1 year after operation for metal removal, knee arthrolysis, and quadricepsplasty to improve the range of motion of the knee.


CONCLUSIONS
Locked plate fixation is rigid enough for bone healing and to allow early postoperative mobilization, with good functional outcome.
Abdel-Aa
Ahmed M
AM
From the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Assiut University Hospital, Assiut, Egypt. aabdelaa61@hotmail.com
Farouk
Osama A
OA
Elsayed
Amr
A
Said
Hatem G
HG
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001860:Bone Plates; D004867:Equipment Design; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D020127:Recovery of Function; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012449:Safety; D012494:Sampling Studies