What is a distal fracture of the femur?

Fractures of the thighbone that occur just above the knee joint are called distal femur fractures. The distal femur is where the bone flares out like an upside-down funnel. The distal femur is the area of the leg just above the knee joint.

What type of fracture is common in the femur?

The most common types of femoral shaft fractures include: Transverse fracture – The break is a straight horizontal line going across the femoral shaft. Oblique fracture – The fracture has an angled line across the shaft. Spiral fracture – The fracture line encircles the shaft like the stripes on a candy cane.

What is a displaced femur fracture?

In certain types of femur fractures, your femur has broken, but its pieces still line up correctly. In other types of fractures (displaced fractures), the trauma moves the bone fragments out of alignment. If you fracture your femur, you usually need ORIF to bring your bones back into place and help them heal.

What is a diagonal fracture called?

Oblique Fracture An oblique fracture is when the break is diagonal across the bone. This kind of fracture occurs most often in long bones.

How do they fix a distal femur fracture?

Surgical Treatment for Distal Femur Fractures The distal femur can be fixed with metal plates and screws or intramedullary nails. If the break involves the joint or is around a total knee replacement it is usually fixed with metal plates and screws placed through incisions on the side of the leg.

Can you walk with a distal femur fracture?

Distal femur fractures hurt a lot when you try to move your leg or your knee joint. You usually can’t walk on the leg. You may see or feel a bump where the bone is broken, and your injured leg may appear shorter than the other. When you see a doctor, they will take x-rays to see if your bone is broken.

Why is the femur the worst bone to break?

Your thighbone (femur) is the longest and strongest bone in your body. Because the femur is so strong, it usually takes a lot of force to break it. Motor vehicle collisions, for example, are the number one cause of femur fractures.

Why is a fracture worse than a break?

There’s no difference between a fracture and a break. A fracture is any loss of continuity of the bone. Anytime the bone loses integrity—whether it’s a hairline crack barely recognizable on an X-ray or the shattering of bone into a dozen pieces—it’s considered a fracture.

What are the most common causes of femur fractures?

Motor vehicle collisions, for example, are the number one cause of femur fractures. The long, straight part of the femur is called the femoral shaft. When there is a break anywhere along this length of bone, it is called a femoral shaft fracture. This type of broken leg almost always requires surgery to heal.

What are the symptoms of a broken femur bone?

Femur Fracture. A broken thighbone, also known as a femur fracture, is a serious and painful injury. The femur is one of the strongest bones in the body, and a break or fracture in the femur bone is often caused by severe injury such as trauma sustained in a motor vehicle accident. Symptoms of a femur fracture include severe pain, swelling,…

What is the timing of surgery for distal femur fracture?

Timing of surgery. Most distal femur fractures are not operated on right away — unless the skin around the fracture has been broken (open fracture). Open fractures expose the fracture site to the environment. They urgently need to be cleansed and require immediate surgery.

What is the most common surgery for a broken femur?

The most common surgery for a broken femur is called intramedullary nailing. This surgery inserts a rod into the length of the bone with screws above and below to hold it into place.