Supracondylar femur fracture in a severely obese patient: a case report and brief literature review

Abstract

The obesity epidemic afflicting the Western world leads to an increase in orthopedic procedures on such patients. Primary concerns relate to peri-operative complications and a more challenging surgical technique, even in the most common fracture patterns. The aim of this manuscript is to describe a supracondylar femur fracture in morbidly obese patient (BMI > 69), from arrival at the Emergency Department to post-operative follow-up. This particular case prompted the authors wonder about possible complications that will arise in the near future, and thus the need for more awareness. A supracondylar femur fracture is a testing procedure for surgeons, especially in an obese patient; it requires careful pre-operative planning to minimize the operative time and, subsequently, the complication rate. In our patient, a double plating with an endomedullary allograft was performed to withstand the weight and provide adequate fixation to a comminuted fracture. The aim of this case report is to describe a rare case which will most likely be more frequent in the near future. Furthermore, the obese population faces more post-operative complications due to multiple comorbidities, coupled with more challenging fracture fixation and longer operative time.