Outcomes following Treatment of Geriatric Distal Femur Fractures with Analyzing Risk Factors for the Nonunion

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Many international journals have published studies on the results of distal femoral fractures in elderly people, but only a few studies have been conducted on the Korean population. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that are associated with the outcomes and prognosis of fixation of distal femur fractures using the minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) technique in elderly patients (age≥60) and to determine the risk factors related witht he occurrence of nonunion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a retrospective study. From January 2008 to June 2018, distal femur fracture (AO/OTA 33) patients who underwent surgical treatment (MIPO) were analyzed. A total of 52 patients were included in the study after removing 121 patients that met with the exclusion criteria. Medical records, including surgical records, were reviewed to evaluate the patients' underlying disease, bone mineral density, the number of days delayed from surgery, complications and mortality. In addition, follow-up radiographs were used to determine bone union, delayed union and nonunion. RESULTS: The average time to achieve bone union was 19.95 weeks, the rate of nonunion was 20.0% (10/50) and the overall mortality was 3.8% (2/52). There were no significant differences in the clinical and radiological results of those patients with or without periprosthetic fracture. On the univariate analysis, which compared the union group vs. the nonunion group, no factors were identified as significant risk factors for nonunion. On the multiple logistic regression analysis, medical history of cancer was identified as a significant risk factor for nonunion (p=0.045). CONCLUSION: The rate of nonunion is high in the Korean population of elderly people suffering from distal femur fracture, but the mortality rate appears to be low. A medical history of cancer is a significant risk factor for nonunion. Further prospective studies are required to determine other associated factors.