Megaprostheses in the treatment of complex fractures of the distal femur

Total knee replacement (TKR) is a widely used procedure for the treatment of post-traumatic arthritis. This type of solution has also been used recently for the treatment of acute fractures around the knee, particularly in joints that already presented arthritis before the trauma. In case of complex fractures of the distal femur especially in older or very compromised patients, the use of a segmental implant can be an option of treatment in order to obtain a quicker recovery of the patient allowing early mobilization and weight bearing. The purpose of this paper is to present our experience with segmental TKR in the treatment of complex fractures of the distal femur highlighting the main problems associated with these conditions and focusing on the indications, principles of technique, tips, tricks and pitfalls of this procedure.