Plate Fixation of Distal Femur Fractures: A Protocol for a Study of Two Plate Options

August 12, 2019 updated by: Heather A. Vallier, MetroHealth Medical Center

Plate Fixation of Distal Femur Fractures: a Protocol for a Randomized, Prospective Study of Two Plate Options

Internal fixation of femur fractures improves alignment and provides stability to the bone and the surrounding soft tissues. This generally allows for early motion of the adjacent joints; thus maximizing overall function of the limb. Open reduction and internal fixation with plates and screws is the standard method that has been used in the treatment of distal femoral fractures. One common traditional method of internal fixation is the 95-degree angled blade plate. Recent advances in technology for distal femur fractures include the LCP™ Condylar Plate. This implant differs from the blade plate, because the LCP offers multiple points of fixed angle contact between the plate and screws in the distal femur. The introduction of plates with the option of locked screws has provided means to increase the rigidity of fixation in osteoporotic bone or in periarticular fractures with a small distal segment, and the LCP may be technically easier to apply than the blade plate. To the investigators' knowledge, there have been no published clinical or biomechanical studies specific to the LCP Condylar Plate, although the early results of LCP implants for other fractures are promising. The investigators believe that locked plating represents a valuable advancement in fracture treatment. However, the limitations of this new technology and the indications for its use have not been completely elucidated. Furthermore, the cost of the new technology is approximately seven times more than the traditional treatment. This is a randomized, prospective, multi-center study to compare the blade plate and the LCP in the distal femur. All patients 16 years of age or older, regardless of race or gender, with a supracondylar fracture of distal femur will be considered. Whether patients are treated with a blade plate or/and LCP, they will be receiving standard orthopedic care for their injury. Neither of these methods currently places a patient at increased surgical or post-surgical risk for problems with infection, nonunion, malunion, or other complications. Because of the study, early and late complication rates and functional outcomes after these treatments may be better defined, allowing for optimization of care of people with these injuries in the future. This should reduce not only direct and indirect costs to the individual, but also costs to society.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
80

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44109
        • MetroHealth Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

16 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT, CHILD)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Participating research centers will evaluate for enrollment all patients presenting with distal femur fractures. The number of patients to be recruited is based on previously reported malunion rates. Assuming a 15% incidence of malunion in the locked plating group, a difference of +/- 5% would be statistically significant. In order for the study to have power of 80% to detect a difference at the 0.05 level, 49 patients will be required in each group.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Closed or Gustilo 13,14 Type I, II or IIIA open fractures that can be treated with an angled blade plate or an LCP Condylar Plate (Orthopaedic Trauma Association fracture classification 33-A, 33- C1, 33- C2), (Tables 1 & Figure 3)
  • 16 or more years of age and skeletally-mature, regardless of race or gender

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pathologic fractures secondary to neoplasm
  • Time elapsed since injury greater than 10 days before fixation
  • Open fractures unable to undergo debridement and irrigation in the first 24 hours
  • Inability or refusal to give consent

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Blade Plate Group
95-degree Angled Blade Plate
Device: 95-degree Angled Blade Plate
Locking Plate Group
4.5mm Condylar Locking Plate
Device: 4.5mm Condylar Locking Plate

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
MetroHealth Medical Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Heather A. Vallier, M.D., MetroHealth Medical Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 1, 2006

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 1, 2018

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 24, 2008

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 25, 2008

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 26, 2008

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ACTUAL)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 13, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 12, 2019

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB06-00029

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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