Locked plating for femoral fractures in polio patients.

BACKGROUND

Femoral fractures in polio survivors present unique challenges; the bone is often small, deformed, osteoporotic and hypovascularized. Locked compression plating aided in achieving a better construct stability of osteoporotic fractures.

METHODS

A total of 13 unilateral femoral fractures in adult polio patients were fixed with locked compression plating in a prospective study. Mean age was 49.8 years (range 34-62). In 6 cases, the small size of the bone matched only narrow plates, and in 6 cases the plate was contoured to fit the cortex. Average follow-up period was 18.4 months (range 12-24).

RESULTS

Radiological evidence of union was apparent in 12 cases after 12-20 weeks (mean 16.3). One case was considered ununited after 28 weeks and progressed to union with bone grafting after another 12 weeks. At the end of the follow-up period, 12 patients returned to their prefracture Vignos disability scale, only the case that experienced nonunion showed functional deterioration.

CONCLUSION

The locked compression plate withstood fixing femoral fractures in polio patients, addressing the challenges of a smaller, osteoporotic, less vascularized and sometimes deformed femur.