Functional Outcome of Retrograde Femur Nail and DFLCP in Extra Articular Distal Femur Fracture

Introduction: Extra-articular fractures of the distal part of the femur are multiple-complication injuries that need to have a stable verification to recover well. The two surgical procedures undertaken regularly are retrograde intramedullary nailing and DFLCP. Selecting the correct method can significantly impact the functional outcomes, especially in environments with limited resources, such as Pakistan. Objective: To compare the functional result of retrograde femur nail with distal femur locking compression plate (DFLCP) in cases of extra-articular distal femur fractures at Department of Orthopedics, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: The study was a prospective comparative investigation conducted at Department of Orthopedics, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, Pakistan in the duration from August, 2024 to January, 2025, involving 40 patients with extra-articular fractures of the distal femur. Patients were categorised into two groups: Group A, patients who received retrograde femoral nailing, and Group B, patients who underwent audibility CLCP. The outcome was measured in terms of functional status, as assessed by the Knee Society Score (KSS), and range of motion at 6 and 12 weeks. Result: Group A(nailing) had significant improvement on KSS at 12-week time points (82.5 vs. 76.9, p = 0.02). In Group A (110.2°), the knee flexion was higher than in Group B (102.4 °). The rate of complications is lower in the nailing group, with fewer cases of delayed union and malalignment. Conclusion: Retrograde femoral nailing was found to have better short-term functional outcomes and fewer complications than DFLCP in the treatment of extra-articular DFFs. The treatment must be personalised in terms of patient and fracture-specific differences.