Functional and Radiological Outcomes of Distal Femur Fractures Fixed With Bicolumnar Plating: A Retrospective Study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Traumatology
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Distal femur fractures present significant orthopedic challenges, particularly intra-articular or osteoporotic cases.
• Dual-column fixation, specifically bicolumnar plating, is emerging as a promising technique for enhanced stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate functional and radiological outcomes of distal femur fractures treated with bicolumnar plating.
• Assess outcomes using the Knee Society Score (KSS) and Modified Radiological Union Score of Tibia (RUST) at 3, 6, and 12 months.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study of 50 patients (aged 20-60) with closed distal femur fractures.
• Treatment involved bicolumnar plating; functional outcomes assessed via KSS, radiological union via Modified RUST score.
• Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and paired t-tests using SPSS v26.0.

Main Results:

• Mean KSS improved significantly from 64.2 at 3 months to 93.4 at 1 year (p < 0.001).
• Modified RUST scores improved significantly from 17.6 to 27.3 over the same period (p < 0.001).
• A low complication rate of 10% was observed, with statistically significant improvements in both outcome measures (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Bicolumnar plating is an effective treatment for complex distal femur fractures.
• The technique facilitates reliable functional recovery and radiological union.
• Offers a favorable safety profile with a low incidence of complications.