USE OF A SUPRACONDYLAR NAIL FOR TREATMENT OF A SUPRACONDYLAR FRACTUREOF THE FEMUR FOLLOWING TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

Treatment of displaced or comminuted supracondylar fractures of the fe mur following total knee arthroplasty is challenging and problematic. Closed treatment has been associated with malunion, nonunion, and loss of motion, whereas early operative treatment has been associated with infection as well as nonunion. Intramedullary fixation of these fract ures has the theoretical advantage of preserving periosteal blood supp ly while allowing early motion. The use of a nail specifically designe d for supracondylar femur fractures to treat a a periprosthetic fractu re about a well-fixed total knee arthroplasty is reported. This device provides a valuable treatment option to the surgeon treating this dif ficult problem.