Mennen plate fixation for the treatment of periprosthetic femoral fractures.

BACKGROUND The management of periprosthetic femoral fractures after total hip and knee replacement remains difficult and controversial. This study was performed to determine the results of Mennen plate fixation for the treatment of periprosthetic femoral fractures. METHODS This retrospective multicenter study consists of a review of a consecutive series of thirty-five patients in whom a total of thirty-six periprosthetic femoral fractures were treated with Mennen plate fixation. The average duration of follow-up was twenty-seven months (range, eight to forty-six months). RESULTS Twenty-six fractures (72%) had united at an average of five months (range, three to ten months) after surgery. One of them had varus bending (10 degrees) of the plate. The remaining ten fractures had a nonunion and varus bending (20 degrees to 30 degrees) of the plate, with a fracture of the plate in eight. A revision procedure was successfully performed in the eight patients with nonunion. CONCLUSIONS The treatment of unstable periprosthetic femoral fractures with Mennen plate fixation was complicated by high rates of mechanical failure (31%) and nonunion (28%). For this reason, we do not recommend the use of the Mennen plate for the treatment of periprosthetic femoral fractures.