Management of bilateral fracture femur with implant failure: a case report

Abstract

Successful treatment of a fracture by use of implants is a race between rate of fracture healing and metal fatigue of implant used. Implant failure is thus one of the most feared but often encountered complications in the practice of an orthopaedic surgeon. It becomes even more difficult for the surgeon when a patient has multiple fractures, increasing the indication for open reduction and accurate fixation, so that the patient may be mobilized as early as possible. The early mobility of the patient may then stress the implants in an unnatural manner predisposing the construct to failure. We hereby present the case of a patient who suffered fractures of both femurs, was operated on and suffered bilateral implant failure. Corrective surgery involved a repeat operation on either femur.

Keywords: Implant failure, nonunion, plating, intramedullary nailing, stress risers, stress shielding