Mid term results of tibial plateau fractures treated with external fixator

Introduction: Tibial plateau fractures are usually challanging although they are not really common. In fact this type of lesion represent about 1,5% of all fractures, and mostly they interest young patients. The classification system commonly used the Muller and Schatzker ones those relate grade to treatment ad outcome. Aim of study: It was to evaluated mid term results of tibial plateau fracture treated using hybrid external fixation performed (with k-wires and pins and transfixing pins) and minimally invasive osteosynthesis. Material and Methods: In the last five years there were treated 39 patients in our hospital using external fixation and minimal invasive osteosynthesis, 35 of those were evaluated in radiographs and functional outcome. The mean follow-up was 2,5 years. Results: Our study showed good results and a poor complication rate related to the applied technique. The clinical outcome overall was 86% good, while the evaluation of function was good in 77% of cases revised. The radiographs were satisfactory in 91% of cases. Conclusions: It is authors’ opinion that the quality of results are related to early motion of the knee, while bad results are often due to scar and to mechanism of injury (high energy trauma, floating knee). External fixation has shown to give good results with low complications.