Arthroscopic management of tibial plateau fractures: comparison with open reduction method

• Published in: Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery 2003-11, Vol.123 (9), p.489-493
• Main Authors: OHDERA, T, TOKUNAGA, M, HIROSHIMA, S, YOSHIMOTO, E, TOKUNAGA, J, KOBAYASHI, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Arthroscopy; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Humans; Injuries of the limb. Injuries of the spine; Knee; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Orthopedic Procedures - methods; Orthopedic surgery; Radiography; Retrospective Studies; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Tibial Fractures - diagnostic imaging; Tibial Fractures - surgery; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0936-8051; 1434-3916
• DOI: 10.1007/s00402-003-0510-3

Arthroscopic treatment of tibial plateau fractures were compared with open traditional methods retrospectively. Twenty-eight patients were included in this comparative study based on fracture patterns and divided into two groups. Using Schatzker's classification system, patients with type II (split depression), type III (isolated depression) fractures, or other fracture types were included. Nineteen of these patients were treated by arthroscopically assisted management (group S), and the remaining 9 underwent the conventional open method (group O). There was no significant difference between both groups in terms of duration of operation, postoperative flexion, and clinical results. In group S, however, the postoperative rehabilitation was easier and faster (the time to obtain 120 degrees of flexion was 4.6+/-3.9 weeks in group S, 9.1+/-8.6 weeks in group O). Furthermore, 16 of 19 patients (84%) in group S obtained an anatomical reduction (defined as