The Mennen femoral plate for fixation of periprosthetic femoral fractures following hip arthroplasty

Periprosthetic fractures can be treated by various methods. The Mennen femoral plate used to be a common implant in our region to stabilise periprosthetic femoral fractures following hip arthroplasty. This device has been used in 16 patients in our region from three different centres. The periprosthetic femoral fractures occurred approximately 7 years after the hip arthroplasty procedure. After stabilisation of the fracture. patients were kept non-weight bearing. Weight bearing was commenced once there was clinical and radiological evidence of fracture union. About 75% of our patients had a complication following fixation of the fracture. In all of these patients the main complication was varus mal-union of the fracture. As per our study the Mennen femoral plate seems to be a weak fixation device. The plate is unable to counter the medial compressive forces on the femur leading to a varus collapse of the fracture. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.