FRACTURES OF THE DISTAL FEMUR REVISITED

The treatment of supracondylar fractures is presented, including the m ost recent developments, The author uses the comprehensive classificat ion of these fractures and explains the method of this classification scheme as a guide to treatment, New surgical approaches and a discussi on of the surgical anatomy are presented in detail, The traditional an d contemporary methods of reduction and fixation are discussed, and ho w the need to preserve the blood supply to the soft tissues and bone h as led to the development of the modern methods, The biologic and biom echanical reasons for absolutely stable fixation for simple fractures and splinting with bridging plates, the so called bridge plating of mu ltifragmentary fractures are explained as are the technical details of fixation, Discussed in detail are specific variations in treatment me thods for the particularly difficult problem of open fractures, fractu res above total knee arthroplasty, and fractures in osteoporotic bone.