Periprosthetic femoral fractures: The minimally invasive fixation option

Increasingly frequent periprosthetic fractures are affecting the elderly; this patients group often suffers from significant co-morbidities that make it particularly difficult to manage these already complex injuries. The classic pitfalls of conservative treatment are many, including infections, pseudarthrosis and the growing necessity of different postoperative supports. We present an internal fixation technique by minimally invasive surgery to manage periprosthetic fractures. The hardware used is a locking plate, with manufacturers' recommendations usually allowing immediate weight bearing. This minimally invasive method provides optimal stability to the fixation, while avoiding the open approach shortcomings. Level of evidence: IV: retrospective or historical series (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.