Background: Supracondylar fractures of the femur, typically occurring near the knee joint, represent a complex and challenging injury, often resulting from high-energy trauma such as motor vehicle accidents or falls from height. These fractures account for a significant portion of distal femur fractures and can severely impact the knee's mechanical axis, leading to functional impairment and prolonged disability if not managed appropriately. The lateral locking compression plate (LCP) has emerged as a preferred method for internal fixation due to its ability to provide angular stability, minimize soft tissue disruption, and promote early mobilization. This study aimed to assess the clinical and functional outcomes of lateral locking compression plate fixation in supracondylar fractures of the femur.

Material and Method: A prospective observational study was conducted in the department of Orthopaedics, S. S. Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Davanagere. enrolling 48 patients with supracondylar femur fractures. Patients with compound fractures and those unwilling to participate were excluded. Following institutional ethics approval and patient consent, demographic and clinical data were collected. Patients underwent surgery using lateral LCP and were followed up postoperatively to assess clinical outcomes, complications, range of movement, and Knee Society Score (KSS). Data were analysed using SPSS v23.0.

Results: The study included 48 patients (mean age: 46.2 years; 12 females, 36 males). The predominant injury mechanism was road traffic accidents (75%). Diabetes was present in 16.7%, and hypertension in 12.5% of patients. Complete healing without complications was observed in 70.8% of cases, while 16.7% experienced malalignment, 8.3% had non-union, and 4.2% developed infections. Range of motion between 90-120 degrees was achieved in 66.7% of patients. Functional outcomes were rated as good in 45.8%, excellent in 25%, fair in 25%, and poor in 4.2%.