Supracondylar femoral fracture fixation: Locked plating versus retrograde nailing

Comminuted supracondylar femur fractures in the elderly are commonly treated with either retrograde femoral nail or locking, plate internal fixation devices. Human cadaveric femur specimens with a simulated. AO/OTA type 33-A3 fracture, fixed with either the plate or nail, are subjected to a simulated post-operative weight bearing recovery period and construct stiffness and subsidence were measured. Nail constructs experienced greater subsidence and reduced axial stiffness, with the differences more pronounced in specimens with low bone be compromised in low bone mineral density patients by the higher risk of failure.