Medial Hoffa Fracture: A Case Report and Literature Review of Approach and Management.

BACKGROUND Hoffa fractures are an uncommon form of coronal fracture that impact the femoral condyle. As a result, they are not very prevalent. It is necessary to perform anatomical reduction and rigorous fixation on these fractures; however, there is no consensus among medical professionals on the surgical procedure and implant that would be the most successful in treating these fractures. CASE REPORT A 50-year-old woman who had poliomyelitis in her right lower limb presented with a displaced medial Hoffa fracture of her left knee. She had fallen and was suffering from poliomyelitis. The trauma that caused this fracture had a modest energy level. Open reduction and internal fixation with 2 retrograde cannulated screws were included in her surgical procedure. An approach known as the medial parapatellar route was used for this treatment. As part of her postoperative rehabilitation, she participated in physiotherapy, exercises that did not require weight bearing, exercises that used passive and active assistance, activities that involved partial and full weight bearing, and exercises that involved complete weight bearing. At the 2-year follow-up, the patient's left knee continued to be painless and stable, and it had unrestricted range of motion across the whole extremity. It was determined via radiographs that the fracture had healed without any problems or arthritic changes developing. She was able to walk without help and carry out her daily tasks since she was able to walk with the use of a cane. CONCLUSIONS Retrograde cannulated screws can be a reliable and successful choice for treatment of medial Hoffa fractures, with positive results according to both clinical and radiographic characteristics. Further research is needed to analyze the outcomes over a longer period of time and make comparisons between this technique and others.

Biomechanics of internal fixation in Hoffa fractures - A comparison of four different constructs.

OBJECTIVE: Compare the biomechanical effectiveness of four different bone-implant constructs in preventing fracture displacement under axial loading. METHODS: Twenty artificial femora had a standardized coronally oriented fracture of the lateral femoral condyle, representing a Hoffa fracture classified as a Letenneur type I. Four different fixation constructs were applied to the synthetic bones for biomechanical testing. The constructs consisted of a posterolateral (PL) buttressing locking plate in conjunction with two cannulated lag screws inserted from posterior to anterior (PA) - Group 1; Two cannulated screws inserted from anterior to posterior (AP) without plating- Group 2; A posterolateral (PL) buttressing locking plate in isolation - Group 3; and a combination of two lag screws from anterior to posterior (AP) in addition to a horizontal one-third tubular locking plate - Group 4. An axial load was applied to the fracture site with a constant displacement speed of 20 mm/min, and the test was interrupted when a secondary displacement was detected determining a fixation failure. We recorded the maximum applied force and the maximum fracture displacement values. RESULTS: Group 1 demonstrated the highest overall bone-implant axial stiffness with the lowest secondary displacement under loading. Groups 3 and 4 showed equivalent mechanical behavior. Group 2 presented the lowest mechanical stiffness to axial loading. The combination of the one-third tubular locking plate with anterior-to-posterior lag screws (Group 4) resulted in 302 % increase in fixation stiffness when compared to anterior-to-posterior lag screws only (Group 2). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the mechanical superiority of having a plate applied parallel to the main fracture plane in the setting of coronally oriented femoral condyle fractures. The addition of a horizontal plate, perpendicular to the main fracture plane, significantly increased the resistance to shearing forces at the fracture site when compared to constructs adopting just cannulated screws. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Biomechanical study.

Pediatric cartilaginous lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture: a case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Hoffa fractures are challenging coronally-oriented articular injuries of the femoral condyle. These fractures are rare in adults and extremely rare in the skeletally immature, with few cases reported in literature. To prevent mal- or non-union, Hoffa fractures require prompt surgical stabilisation with anatomic reduction and internal fixation. CASE REPORT: We discuss the case of a lateral distal femoral condyle cartilaginous Hoffa fracture in a ten-year-old male patient. The patient presented after a football non-contact "twist and pop" injury with radiographic imaging described as an osteochondritis dissecans lesion. An MRI was obtained which demonstrated a lateral distal femoral condyle osteochondral fracture. An operative plan was formulated to perform arthroscopic reduction and bio-compression screw fixation to minimize damage to the physis and surrounding tissues. Hyperflexion of the knee allowed for anatomic fracture reduction with the placement of 2 bio-compression screws serving as maintenance of fixation. The patient did well postoperatively and returned to full activity after 6 months. CONCLUSION: Hoffa fractures in the pediatric population are rare and can occur not only through bone but also through the thick chondral layer in younger patients. These are extremely difficult to diagnose through X-Ray alone. The prompt use of MRI imaging allows for operative fixation in a timely fashion, while an arthroscopic-only approach allows for minimal tissue damage. With an appropriate fracture type, hyper-flexion reduces and stabilizes the fracture, permitting the placement of minimally invasive bio-compression fixation.

Busch-Hoffa fracture: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Accomplish a thorough review on the existing biomechanical and clinical studies about coronal plane fractures of the distal femur. METHODS: We performed an electronic search of PubMed/MEDLINE database from April to June, 2023. The terms for the database search included "Hoffa fractures," OR "Busch-Hoffa fractures" OR "coronal plane fractures of the distal femur." RESULTS: The search identified 277 potentially eligible studies. After application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 113 articles were analyzed in terms of the most important topics related to coronal plane fractures of the distal femur. CONCLUSION: Lateral coronal plane fractures of the distal femur are more frequent than medial, present a more vertical fracture line, and usually concentrate on the weight bearing zone of the condyle. The Letenneur system is the most used classification method for this fracture pattern. Posterior-to-anterior fixation using isolated lag screws (for osteochondral fragments-Letenneur type 2) or associated with a posterior buttressing plate (when the fracture pattern is amenable for plate fixation-Letenneur types 1 and 3) is biomechanically more efficient than anterior-to-posterior fixation. Anterior-to-posterior fixation using lag screws complemented or not by a plate remains a widely used treatment option due to the surgeons' familiarity with the anterior approaches and lower risk of iatrogenic neurovascular injuries. There is no consensus in the literature regarding diameter and number of screws for fixation of coronal plane fractures of the distal femur.

[Discussion on internal fixation of Hoffa fractures].

Hoffa fracture is an unstable intra-articular fracture with significant redisplacement tendency. It is easy to be missed diagnosis when accompanied by distal intercondylar or supracondylar fracture of femur. CT scan is the gold standard for the diagnosis of Hoffa fracture. The treatment principles are anatomic reduction of the articular surface, reliable internal fixation, and early functional activity. At present, the main treatment is arthroscopic screw fixation. During screw fixation, the tail cap of screw should be buried, resulting in non-healing iatrogenic injury of articular cartilage. In the early postoperative functional activity of knee joint, fracture block was repeatedly subjected to backward and upward shear force under the action of the tibial plateau, which is the main reason for the failure of internal fixation. Plate assisted screw fixation could increase local mechanical stability, but it still cannot avoid the defects of iatrogenic cartilage injury. At the same time, plate molding is required during the operation due to the absence of special anatomical plates, resulting in increased surgical trauma and time-consuming surgery. The ideal fixation method for Hoffa fracture should include:(1) Avoid iatrogenic injury of articular surface cartilage. (2) With the rear anti-shear barrier plate function.(3) The internal fixator is closer to the load interface, so as to obtain greater load and better fixed strength.

Successful Total Knee Arthroplasty for Hoffa and Proximal Tibial Fractures: Report of Three Complex Cases After Failed Osteosynthesis Procedures.

BACKGROUND Distal femoral and proximal tibial fractures often lead to nonunion and post-traumatic osteoarthritis, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has emerged as an effective alternative for older patients. This report includes 3 cases of successful TKA treatment. The cases involve a 42-year-old man and a 62-year-old man with Hoffa coronal fractures of the distal femur, and a 50-year-old man with a proximal tibial fracture. These patients underwent multiple osteosynthesis procedures before receiving TKA. CASE REPORT Case 1: A 42-year-old man with a displaced Hoffa's fracture had persistent knee pain. Nonunion post-initial fixation led to reoperation with iliac bone grafting and plate fixation. TKA using a Posterior Stabilized (PS)-type implant resulted in improved motion and function after 3 years. Case 2: A 62-year-old man suffered lateral condyle and ligament injuries from a displaced Hoffa's fracture. Despite plate fixation, dislocation occurred, requiring conversion. TKA with long-stem hinge-type implant, using augmentation block, led to enhanced stability and outcomes at 2 years. Case 3: A 50-year-old man's tibial nonunion, treated with plate fixation, resulted in infection and bone fusion. TKA using a constrained PS-type implant insert addressed the lateral tibial adhesions via iliotibial band (ITB) release and treated severe tibial plateau damage. Positive results were seen at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS The challenges of pseudarthrosis, like bone defects and compromised tissue, highlight the need for precise implant selection based on evaluations of bone quality, defects, knee stability, and hyperextension, rather than resorting to overly-constrained implants.

Treatment of Hoffa fracture of femoral condyle with anchor combined with auxiliary fixation.

BACKGROUND: A Hoffa fracture is an unstable intra-articular break that is generally treated with surgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical outcomes of using a suture anchor combined with auxiliary fixation for the treatment of a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture. METHODS: The study retrospectively reviewed 8 patients (5 males and 3 females) with a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture who had been treated by combining a suture anchor with auxiliary fixation between January 2016 and April 2020. The mean age of patients was 37.5 years (ranging from 23 to 45). According to Letenneur's classification, there were 4 cases of type I, 2 cases of type II, and 2 cases of type III fractures. The clinical outcomes were assessed using Letenneur's functional assessment. RESULTS: The follow-up duration ranged between 14-24 months. All patients achieved primary healing of the incision and fracture union, as well as normal flexion and extension of the knee joint, with 7 cases showing excellent outcomes and 1 case showing a good outcome. No postoperative complications, such as fracture displacement, anchor loosening, or fracture malunion, occurred in this series. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that a suture anchor, combined with external fixation, was an effective treatment for a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture. Accordingly, this procedure is worthy of wider clinical application.

Application of the suture anchor in the treatment of Hoffa fractures of the lateral femoral condyle.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical effect of the suture anchor combined with external fixation in the treatment of the lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture. METHODS: In this study, a retrospective study was conducted to analyze the feasibility of treating fourteen patients (eight men and six women) with Hoffa fractures admitted to our Hospital from January 2016 to October 2021 with combined external fixation using incisional reduction anchor nailing. The age of the patients ranged from 23 to 45 years, with an average of 37.5 years. According to Letenneur's classification, there were eight cases of type I, three cases of type II, and three cases of type III. The functional assessment of Letenneur was used to measure the clinical outcome. RESULTS: All patients had one-stage wound healing, and all patients were followed up for 12 to 18 months after surgery, and all fractures healed well, with normal knee flexion and extension activities, and no complications such as fracture displacement, anchor nail loosening, or fracture malunion were observed. The clinical outcome was evaluated according to the functional evaluation criteria of Letenneur et al. The clinical outcome of fourteen patients: excellent in thirteen cases and good in one case, with an overall excellent rate of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study results indicate that the use of anchor nailing combined with external fixation for Hoffa fractures of the femoral condyle has some clinical reference significance because it is less invasive, has fewer complications, does not require secondary removal, and is worthy of clinical application. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered.

Application of 3D Printing Technology in the Treatment of Hoffa's Fracture Nonunion / Aplicação da tecnologia de impressão 3D no tratamento da pseudartrose da fratura de Hoffa

Abstract Objective To evaluate a proposed three-dimensional (3D) printing process of a biomodel developed with the aid of fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology based on computed tomography (CT) scans of an individual with nonunion of a coronal femoral condyle fracture (Hoffa's fracture). Materials and Methods Thus, we used CT scans, which enable the evaluation of the 3D volumetric reconstruction of the anatomical model, as well as of the architecture and bone geometry of sites with complex anatomy, such as the joints. In addition, it enables the development of the virtual surgical planning (VSP) in a computer-aided design (CAD) software. This technology makes it possible to print full-scale anatomical models that can be used in surgical simulations for training and in the choice of the best placement of the implant according to the VSP. In the radiographic evaluation of the osteosynthesis of the Hoffa's fracture nonunion, we assessed the position of the implant in the 3D-printed anatomical model and in the patient's knee. Results The 3D-printed anatomical model showed geometric and morphological characteristics similar to those of the actual bone. The position of the implants in relation to the nonunion line and anatomical landmarks showed great accuracy in the comparison of the patient's knee with the 3D-printed anatomical model. Conclusion The use of the virtual anatomical model and the 3D-printed anatomical model with the additive manufacturing (AM) technology proved to be effective and useful in planning and performing the surgical treatment of Hoffa's fracture nonunion. Thus, it showed great accuracy in the reproducibility of the virtual surgical planning and the 3D-printed anatomical model.

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar uma proposta de processo de impressão tridimensional (3D) de um biomodelo preparado com o auxílio da tecnologia de modelagem por deposição de material fundido (fused deposition modeling, FDM, em inglês) a partir de imagens de tomografia computadorizada (TC) de um indivíduo com pseudartrose de fratura coronal do côndilo femoral (fratura de Hoffa). Materiais e Métodos Para tanto, utilizamos imagens de TC, que permitem estudar a reconstrução volumétrica 3D do modelo anatômico, além da arquitetura e geometria óssea de sítios de anatomia complexa, como as articulações. Também permite o planejamento cirúrgico virtual (PCV) em um programa de desenho assistido por computador (computer-aided design, CAD, em inglês). Essa tecnologia possibilita a impressão de modelos anatômicos em escala real que podem ser utilizados em simulações cirúrgicas para o treinamento e a escolha do melhor posicionamento do implante de acordo com o PCV. Na avaliação radiográfica da osteossíntese da pseudartrose de Hoffa, verificou-se a posição do implante no modelo anatômico impresso em 3D e no joelho do paciente. Resultados O modelo anatômico impresso em 3D apresentou características geométricas e morfológicas semelhantes às do osso real. O posicionamento dos implantes em relação à linha de pseudartrose e pontos anatômicos foram bastante precisos na comparação do joelho do paciente com o modelo anatômico impresso em 3D. Conclusão A utilização do modelo anatômico virtual e do modelo anatômico impresso em 3D com a tecnologia de manufatura aditiva (MA) foi eficaz e auxiliou o planejamento e a realização do tratamento cirúrgico da pseudartrose da fratura de Hoffa. Desta forma, foi bastante preciso na reprodutibilidade do planejamento cirúrgico tanto virtual quanto no modelo anatômico impresso em 3D.

The outcomes of surgical treatment for lateral Hoffa fracture nonunions.

INTRODUCTION: Lateral Hoffa nonunion are rare injuries. A significant percentage of these nonunions are due to missed acute lateral Hoffa fractures. Operative management of these injuries is difficult and complicated by the presence of bone loss, infection, and soft-tissue contractures. In this study, the aim was to assess clinical and functional outcome in our group of patients with lateral Hoffa nonunion who had undergone operative management and to determine whether variables such as fracture type, infection, and previous surgery affect nonunion/complication rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were analyzed for patients with lateral Hoffa nonunion who underwent surgical fixation from January 2008 to December 2020 at a tertiary-care referral center. Patients with lateral condyle Hoffa nonunion and having a minimal follow-up of 1 year were included in this study. Patients with medial Hoffa nonunion, pathological fractures, and children aged less than 16 years were excluded from the study. The fractures were classified by the AO/OTA and Letenneur classification systems. Clinical and functional outcomes were assessed by the Knee society score (KSS) and the lower extremity functional scale (LEFS). RESULTS: All the 12 patients had united in our series. One patient had reduction failure at 3 months who united after re-fixation. The union rate in our patients was 100%, with a loss of reduction rate of 7.7%, and post-traumatic arthrosis of 7.7%. The average follow-up period was 52.16 ± 27.7 months. The mean knee flexion obtained at the final follow-up was 104.5° (80°-130°). The average KSS clinical score was 80.6 (65-88). The average KSS functional score was 92 (70-100). The average LEFS score was 71 (47-79). There is a statistically significant improvement in the knee range of motion in our patients (p = 0.001). However, no correlation could be detected between variables like type of fracture, infection, and previous surgeries and outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Lateral Hoffa nonunion can be managed with careful planning of surgical approaches and fixation techniques.

[Medial Hoffa fracture: a case report]. / Fractura de Hoffa medial: reporte de un caso.

INTRODUCTION: knee femoral condyle coronal fractures or Hoffa fractures are among the rarest fractures of the pelvic limb, being even more rare those of the medial condyle. The success in the management of these patients lies in the timely diagnosis and the consequent anatomical reduction of the femoral articular surface. CLINICAL CASE: the objective of this article is to present a patient with right medial Hoffa fracture, registered as a single case in the archives of our hospital. The patient was referred to us on November 2011, with a 10-day course after suffering a fall from horse ridding, presenting a forced varus mechanism and direct contusion of the right knee. He shows an anteroposterior and lateral knee X-rays showing a subtle solution of continuity in the coronal plane of the base of the medial condyle, corroborated with magnetic resonance imaging and was also associated with a non-surgical partial injury of both menisci and the anterior cruciate ligament. Surgical intervention was performed on 27th/11/2011, through open reduction with a medial approach and internal fixation with 7.0 mm (x2) cannulated screws. The patient was discharged with early and continuous mobilization of the knee, deferring support and rehabilitation until the 6th week. He is currently a wandering patient, asymptomatic, with complete range of motion. Because respecting the extensor apparatus through a medial approach and the articular surface with cannulated screws, it was observed in consequence an adequate evolution of our patient, being able to return to his daily activities, even remount.

INTRODUCCIÓN: las fracturas del cóndilo femoral en el plano coronal o fracturas de Hoffa se encuentran entre las fracturas más raras del miembro pélvico, pero son aún más raras las del cóndilo medial. El éxito en el manejo de estos pacientes radica en el diagnóstico oportuno y la consecuente reducción anatómica de la superficie articular del fémur. CASO CLÍNICO: el objetivo de este reporte es presentar a un paciente con el diagnóstico de fractura de Hoffa medial derecha, registrado como caso único en los archivos de nuestro hospital. El paciente acudió referido en Noviembre de 2011, con evolución de 10 días tras sufrir caída de caballo, presentando mecanismo de varo forzado y contusión directa de la rodilla derecha. Mostró radiografías anteroposterior y lateral de rodilla derecha, donde se observó de forma sutil solución de la continuidad en el plano coronal de la base del cóndilo medial, corroborado por resonancia magnética y asociado a lesiones parciales no quirúrgicas de ambos meniscos y del ligamento cruzado anterior. Se intervino quirúrgicamente el día 27 de Noviembre de 2011 mediante reducción abierta con abordaje medial y fijación interna con dos tornillos canulados de 7.0 mm. Se egresó al paciente indicando la movilización temprana y continua de la rodilla, difiriendo el apoyo y rehabilitación hasta la sexta semana. Actualmente el paciente se encuentra con posibilidad de deambulación, asintomático y con arcos de movilidad completos. El respeto del aparato extensor mediante un abordaje medial y la superficie articular con tornillos canulados se refleja en la adecuada evolución de nuestro paciente, pudiendo regresar a sus actividades diarias, incluso el montar.