REFRACTURE AFTER REMOVAL OF A CONDYLAR PLATE FROM THE DISTAL 3RD OF THE FEMUR

Of 103 patients who had a fracture of the distal third of the femur that was treated by open reduction and internal fixation with a condylar blade-plate, sixty-two had removal of the plate after the fracture had united. The mean interval between injury and removal of the plate was twenty-six months. Six patients (10 per cent) sustained a refracture that was unrelated to major trauma; the refracture occurred twelve to ninety-three days after removal of the plate. Five of the six refractures occurred through a hole of a supplemental interfragmentary lag-screw. The use of such screws significantly increased the risk of refracture after removal of the hardware (p < 0.01). The refractures were treated by intramedullary nailing in five patients and by replating in one, and union was achieved in all six patients. Routine removal of a condylar blade-plate after union of a fracture of the distal third of the femur cannot be recommended, especially in the presence of supplemental fixation with interfragmentary screws.