Biomedical Research

Objective: To investigate the effects of arthroscopy combined with external fixator support for tibial plateau fracture.

Methods: From January 2013 to February 2015, 120 tibial plateau fractures patients in our hospital were selected and divided into observation group and control group according to the treatment methods, 60 cases in each group. All patients were given preoperative routine treatment, while the control group were treated under arthroscope, and observation group accepted external fixation support based on the control group. The prognosis and complications in two groups were observed.

Results: The postoperative 6 months of skin infection, traumatic arthritis, joint stiffness, pain of implants etc. occurred in the observation group were significantly less than those of the control group (χ² =8.04, P<0.05). The excellent and good rates of HSS (Hospital for Special Surgery Scores) of the knee joint in the observation group of postoperative 6 months were 93.3%, which was significantly higher than that of 70.0% in the control group (χ²=16.24, P<0.05). The tibial plateau varus angle (TPA) and posterior tibial plateau angle (PA) values in the observation group of postoperative 6 months were 6.24 ± 0.89 degrees and 6.82 ± 0.49 degrees, which were significantly higher than those immediate postoperation (T=5.73, 4.52, all P<0.05); TPA and PA in the control group were 5.89 ± 1.02 degrees and 7.12 ± 0.55 degrees respectively, which were significantly higher than those immediate postoperation (T=3.41, 2.00, all P<0.05), and the differences of postoperative 6 months showed statistical significance in two group (T=2.00, 3.16, all P<0.05).

Conclusion: The application of arthroscopy combined with external fixation support in tibial plateau fracture can promote the TPA and PA values returning to normal, reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, to improve the function of knee joint, which is of good application values.

Author(s): Wei Li, Peng Xie, Wen-Hui Ruan
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