Periprosthetic Fractures Following Total Knee Arthroplasty

Periprosthetic fractures following total knee arthroplasty are a potentially devastating complication to both the patient and the surgeon. Complication rates of treatment reported in the literature range widely, from 25 to 75 percent, even in the hands of both skilled and experienced surgeons1-4. A meta-analysis of 195 fractures in twelve published reports of ipsilateral supracondylar femoral fractures demonstrated complication rates of 30 percent with both nonoperative and operative treatment methods5. Various treatment modalities have been utilized to manage these challenging fractures. The purpose of this review is to analyze the prevalence, pathogenesis, mechanism of injury, risk factors, classification, and treatment of these fractures.