Equipment
Depending on the quality of bone, the surgeon’s experience, and the patient’s clinical scenario, the necessary equipment for fixation for supracondylar femur fractures includes the following:
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Solid intramedullary nails
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Flexible intramedullary nails
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Kirschner wires (K-wires)
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Steinmann pins
Patient Preparation
Anesthesia
General anesthesia is used for complete muscle relaxation to facilitate anatomic fracture reduction.
Positioning
Patient is positioned supine on a flat-top radiolucent table to allow C-arm imaging. An ipsilateral bump is placed underneath the hip to allow some internal rotation to gain lateral exposure to the distal femur. This positioning is suitable for plating, crossed K-wires, or external fixation procedures of the distal femur.
For cases involving flexible or solid intramedullary nails, a fracture table can be used.
Monitoring & Follow-up
Radiography at regular intervals is necessary to assess fracture healing. Patients may be seen initially at 2 weeks postoperatively and subsequently at monthly intervals until the fracture is healed.
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Figure 1
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Figure 2
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Figure 3
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Figure 4
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Figure 5
