Surgical Approaches, Postoperative Care, and Outcomes Associated with Intra-Articular Hoffa Fractures: A Comprehensive Review

Off-Label Use of Buttress Calcaneal Plate in Medial Distal Femoral Fracture to Augment Internal Fixation

Background

High-energy traumatic fractures represent a challenge for orthopaedic surgeons because there are a great variety of morphologic patterns and associated injuries1. Although the incidence is higher in developing countries, these fractures pose a major financial burden all over the world because of their considerable hospital length of stay, time away from work, rate of failure to return to work, complications, and cost of treatment2-4. Since the fracture patterns are so variable, some cases may have a lack of available specific osteosynthesis implants, despite recent advancements in implant engineering5. However, experienced surgeons are capable of using their knowledge and creativity to treat challenging lesions with use of preexisting plates while following the principles of fracture fixation and without compromising outcomes. In 2012, Hohman et al. described for the first time the use of a calcaneal plate to treat distal femoral fractures6. In 2020, Pires et al. further expanded the indications for use of a calcaneal plate5. This technical trick is widely utilized in our trauma center, especially in comminuted fractures around the knee. The present video article provides a stepwise description of the off-label use of a calcaneal plate in a medial distal femoral fracture.

Description

The key principles of this procedure involve following common fundamentals during open reduction and internal fixation, approaching the fracture, preserving soft-tissue attachments of the comminution, and reducing the main fragments. Afterwards, the off-label use of a calcaneal plate adds the special feature of being able to contain fracture fragments with plate contouring. If necessary and if osseous morphology allows, bone grafting through the plate may also be performed.

Alternatives

Multiple fixation implants can be utilized in medial distal femoral fractures. Surgeon-contoured plates (i.e., locking compression plates or low-contact dynamic compression plates), multiple mini-fragment plates, cortical screws alone, cannulated cancellous screws alone, or proximal humeral plates are among the alternatives5-9. However, the lack of specific implants for fixation of fractures involving the medial femoral condyle is notable, even in developed countries10.

Rationale

The small-fragment calcaneal plate is a widely available and cheaper implant compared with locking compression plates, which is especially important in developing countries. Additionally, this plate has a lower profile, covers a greater surface area, and allows multiple screws in different planes and directions. The use of this plate represents a great technical trick for surgeons to contain comminution.

Expected Outcomes

Patient education regarding fracture severity is mandatory, and it is important to highlight that there is no current gold standard to treat these fractures because of the wide variability of morphological patterns. To our knowledge, all studies reporting the use of a calcaneal plate to treat these fractures have shown promising results, including good functional outcomes and 100% fracture healing with no cases of nonunion, infection, or implant failure5,6,10-14. In the largest case series to date, Shekar et al. performed an interventional prospective study of 30 patients undergoing calcaneal plating for distal femoral unicondylar fractures14. They reported a mean range of motion of 108° ± 28.27° at 6 months, with excellent or satisfactory results in 80% of patients as measured with use of the Neer scoring system14.

Important Tips

Preserve the blood supply by performing minimal soft-tissue dissection.Do not detach comminuted fragments from the soft tissues, which will help fracture reduction.Reduce the main fragments anatomically and fix as necessary.Contain the comminution using the spanning property and large covering area of the calcaneal plate.Perform bone grafting through the plate as necessary.

Subvastus Arthrotomy and Multifaceted Fixation in Medial Femoral Comminuted Hoffa's Fracture: A Case Report

In managing orthopedic trauma, Hoffa's fracture, a rare intra-articular fracture affecting the femoral condyle, presents a unique challenge. We report a case of a 45-year-old male patient who had a traumatic injury and complained of substantial knee discomfort and limited range of motion. The patient had a medial femoral comminuted Hoffa's fracture. Subvastus arthrotomy was employed to handle the fracture successfully, and then a locking reconstruction plate, Herbert screws, and 4 mm cannulated screws were used for precise reduction and fixation. At the one-year follow-up, the patient showed acceptable postoperative results, including recovered knee function and radiographic indications of fracture repair.

Busch-Hoffa fracture: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Accomplish a thorough review on the existing biomechanical and clinical studies about coronal plane fractures of the distal femur.

METHODS

We performed an electronic search of PubMed/MEDLINE database from April to June, 2023. The terms for the database search included "Hoffa fractures," OR "Busch-Hoffa fractures" OR "coronal plane fractures of the distal femur."

RESULTS

The search identified 277 potentially eligible studies. After application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 113 articles were analyzed in terms of the most important topics related to coronal plane fractures of the distal femur.

CONCLUSION

Lateral coronal plane fractures of the distal femur are more frequent than medial, present a more vertical fracture line, and usually concentrate on the weight bearing zone of the condyle. The Letenneur system is the most used classification method for this fracture pattern. Posterior-to-anterior fixation using isolated lag screws (for osteochondral fragments-Letenneur type 2) or associated with a posterior buttressing plate (when the fracture pattern is amenable for plate fixation-Letenneur types 1 and 3) is biomechanically more efficient than anterior-to-posterior fixation. Anterior-to-posterior fixation using lag screws complemented or not by a plate remains a widely used treatment option due to the surgeons' familiarity with the anterior approaches and lower risk of iatrogenic neurovascular injuries. There is no consensus in the literature regarding diameter and number of screws for fixation of coronal plane fractures of the distal femur.

Application of the suture anchor in the treatment of Hoffa fractures of the lateral femoral condyle

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the feasibility and clinical effect of the suture anchor combined with external fixation in the treatment of the lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture.

METHODS

In this study, a retrospective study was conducted to analyze the feasibility of treating fourteen patients (eight men and six women) with Hoffa fractures admitted to our Hospital from January 2016 to October 2021 with combined external fixation using incisional reduction anchor nailing. The age of the patients ranged from 23 to 45 years, with an average of 37.5 years. According to Letenneur's classification, there were eight cases of type I, three cases of type II, and three cases of type III. The functional assessment of Letenneur was used to measure the clinical outcome.

RESULTS

All patients had one-stage wound healing, and all patients were followed up for 12 to 18 months after surgery, and all fractures healed well, with normal knee flexion and extension activities, and no complications such as fracture displacement, anchor nail loosening, or fracture malunion were observed. The clinical outcome was evaluated according to the functional evaluation criteria of Letenneur et al. The clinical outcome of fourteen patients: excellent in thirteen cases and good in one case, with an overall excellent rate of 100%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study results indicate that the use of anchor nailing combined with external fixation for Hoffa fractures of the femoral condyle has some clinical reference significance because it is less invasive, has fewer complications, does not require secondary removal, and is worthy of clinical application.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Retrospectively registered.

Treatment of Hoffa fracture of femoral condyle with anchor combined with auxiliary fixation

BACKGROUND

A Hoffa fracture is an unstable intra-articular break that is generally treated with surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the feasibility and clinical outcomes of using a suture anchor combined with auxiliary fixation for the treatment of a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture.

METHODS

The study retrospectively reviewed 8 patients (5 males and 3 females) with a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture who had been treated by combining a suture anchor with auxiliary fixation between January 2016 and April 2020. The mean age of patients was 37.5 years (ranging from 23 to 45). According to Letenneur's classification, there were 4 cases of type I, 2 cases of type II, and 2 cases of type III fractures. The clinical outcomes were assessed using Letenneur's functional assessment.

RESULTS

The follow-up duration ranged between 14-24 months. All patients achieved primary healing of the incision and fracture union, as well as normal flexion and extension of the knee joint, with 7 cases showing excellent outcomes and 1 case showing a good outcome. No postoperative complications, such as fracture displacement, anchor loosening, or fracture malunion, occurred in this series.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that a suture anchor, combined with external fixation, was an effective treatment for a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture. Accordingly, this procedure is worthy of wider clinical application.

The outcomes of surgical treatment for lateral Hoffa fracture nonunions

INTRODUCTION

Lateral Hoffa nonunion are rare injuries. A significant percentage of these nonunions are due to missed acute lateral Hoffa fractures. Operative management of these injuries is difficult and complicated by the presence of bone loss, infection, and soft-tissue contractures. In this study, the aim was to assess clinical and functional outcome in our group of patients with lateral Hoffa nonunion who had undergone operative management and to determine whether variables such as fracture type, infection, and previous surgery affect nonunion/complication rates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data were analyzed for patients with lateral Hoffa nonunion who underwent surgical fixation from January 2008 to December 2020 at a tertiary-care referral center. Patients with lateral condyle Hoffa nonunion and having a minimal follow-up of 1 year were included in this study. Patients with medial Hoffa nonunion, pathological fractures, and children aged less than 16 years were excluded from the study. The fractures were classified by the AO/OTA and Letenneur classification systems. Clinical and functional outcomes were assessed by the Knee society score (KSS) and the lower extremity functional scale (LEFS).

RESULTS

All the 12 patients had united in our series. One patient had reduction failure at 3 months who united after re-fixation. The union rate in our patients was 100%, with a loss of reduction rate of 7.7%, and post-traumatic arthrosis of 7.7%. The average follow-up period was 52.16 ± 27.7 months. The mean knee flexion obtained at the final follow-up was 104.5° (80°-130°). The average KSS clinical score was 80.6 (65-88). The average KSS functional score was 92 (70-100). The average LEFS score was 71 (47-79). There is a statistically significant improvement in the knee range of motion in our patients (p = 0.001). However, no correlation could be detected between variables like type of fracture, infection, and previous surgeries and outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Lateral Hoffa nonunion can be managed with careful planning of surgical approaches and fixation techniques.

Hoffa’s fracture in an adolescent treated with an innovative surgical procedure: A case report

BACKGROUND

Hoffa fracture is rare, especially in adolescents, and has a high rate of complications such as avascular necrosis and osteoarthritis; moreover, there are no definitive guidelines for its treatment. This report could provide a new potential treatment for Hoffa fracture.

CASE SUMMARY

A 16-year-old girl presented to the orthopedic emergency department of No. 2 People’s Hospital of Yibin City with persistent pain following a right knee injury sustained during a sprint race. Her knee was swollen and tender, and the range of motion was restricted by the pain. X-ray and computed tomography revealed a Hoffa fracture in the right knee. After consultation, surgical treatment was performed, and the fracture was fixed with three 3.5-mm cannulated cancellous screws; osteochondral plugs that were harvested from the screw insertion site were re-implanted to cover the screw head. The patient’s fracture and osteochondral plug healed 6 mo postoperatively, and she presented a knee range of motion of 0–135 without pain, and was walking without support with a normal gait.

CONCLUSION

Here, we describe an innovative surgical procedure for Hoffa fracture that could provide a new possibility for the treatment of similar fractures, and further improve their management.