ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Bicondylar tibial plateau fracture treated by open
reduction and fixation with unilateral locked
plating
Tien-Ching Lee, Hsuan-Ti Huang, Yu-Chuan Lin, Chung-Hwan Chen,
Yuh-Min Cheng, Jian-Chih Chen
*
Department of Orthopaedics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Received 15 June 2012; accepted 5 September 2012 Available online 6 April 2013
KEYWORDS Bicondylar plateau fracture;
Locked plating; Locking plate
Abstract The management of bicondylar tibial plateau fractures is challenging. A lateral locking plate offers an alternative method to traditional dual plating to avoid further stripping of soft tissue. Nevertheless, the rate of malreduction and fixation loss remains high. From 2007 to 2009, we performed open reduction and fixation with unilateral locked plating to directly reduce the fracture in 15 patients with bicondylar plateau fracture. The average follow-up duration was 16.2 months (range: 12e30 months), and the average age of the patients was 43 years (range: 19e64 years). All fractures were Orthopaedic Trauma Association type 41-C. Postoperative radiographic alignment was evaluated immediately and at 2e4 weeks, 8e12 weeks, 5e7 months, and 11e13 months. Both Oxford knee score and Hospital for Special Surgery knee score were used to evaluate functional outcomes. The average duration within which union was achieved was 4.8 months (range: 2e10 months). One patient incurred wound dehiscence; however, there was no case of deep infection. Malreduction occurred in one pa-tient (6.7%) while fixation loss occurred in three papa-tients (20%) with subsidence of the poster-omedial fragment and varus malalignment. Despite the malreduction rate being lower in our study than in previous studies involving unilateral locked plating, a high rate of fixation loss was recorded. Per our limited experience, we believe that unilateral locked plating may have limitations in patients with selective patterns of bicondylar tibial plateau fractures.
Copyrightª 2013, Kaohsiung Medical University. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Bicondylar tibial plateau fractures usually occur in a bimodal age distribution. In young patients, high-energy trauma re-sults in comminuted fractures and severe soft tissue damage, * Corresponding author. Department of Orthopaedics, Kaohsiung
Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Number 100, Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
E-mail address:[email protected](J.-C. Chen).
1607-551X/$36 Copyrightª 2013, Kaohsiung Medical University. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.kjms.2013.01.006
Available online atwww.sciencedirect.com
whereas in older patients, comminution and soft tissue injury arise mainly from poor bone quality and thin skin. Surgical fixation of bicondylar tibial plateau fractures is challenging because of geographic complexity and compromise of the soft tissue envelope. Treatment goals include preservation of soft tissues, restoration of articular congruity, and correc-tion of anatomic alignment in the lower extremities.
Adequate fixation and early achievement of post-operative range of motion are important for a good prognosis and adequate postoperative functioning. Buttressing of both the medial and lateral compartments with conventional double plating is the gold standard for managing bicondylar fractures because this may provide sufficiently rigid fixation to prevent medial collapse and subsequent varus deformity. However, this may require excessive dissection through injured soft tissue, leading to wound complications or com-promised osteosynthesis [1e3]. Nonlocked unilateral but-tress plating with lag screw fixation has the advantage of less stripping of soft tissue. However, poor bony purchase by lag screws due to comminution and the natural characteristics of cancellous bone lead to further widening of the joint surface and displacement of fragments.
Introduction of advanced instrumentation, such as locking plate systems, and techniques for internal fixation, such as minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO), have changed the nature of treatment for these fractures over the last decade [4]. MIPO, with its key benefit of preserving the intact soft tissue envelope, is the repre-sentative biological plate technique. The less invasive sta-bilization system (LISS) developed by Synthes is representative of locking plates that offer multiple points of fixed-angle contact between the plate and screws, aiming to decrease the tendency toward angular deformity. A lateral locking plate can provide adequate stability for comminuted or osteoporotic plateau fractures and may
offer an alternative to additional medial buttressing, thus avoiding further stripping of soft tissue [5e8]. Never-theless, these series revealed a higher rate of malreduction and fixation with unilateral locked plating using the LISS technique than with conventional double plating.
In this study, we used open reduction and fixation with unilateral locked screw plating to treat bicondylar tibial plateau fractures and evaluated the rates of malreduction, fixation loss, and other complications. Comparing the findings of our study with those of previous studies on LISS may further address the clinical effectiveness of unilateral locked plating in the management of bicondylar tibial pla-teau fractures.
Materials and methods
From 2007 to 2009, 65 patients with 65 tibial plateau fractures were operated on at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital. Of these, the records of 15 patients [15 fractures (7 males and 8 females); mean age: 43 years (range: 19e64 years)] were retrospectively reviewed after applying the following inclusion criteria: the presence of an acute high-energy bicondylar tibial plateau fracture classified as Schatzker V or VI, age>18 years, use of a unilateral locking plate, and completion of a minimum 1-year follow-up. Pa-tients with a history of prior tibial infection were excluded. All fractures were Orthopaedic Trauma Association type 41-C. Four patients had open fractures (26.7%), including three Gustilo type IIIC fractures and one Gustilo type IIIB fracture. Four patients had multiple fractures. The de-mographic data of the patients are presented inTable 1.
Open reduction and definite fixation was performed within 12 hours of injury or after soft tissue swelling had subsided. A tourniquet (300 mmHg pressure) was used. The
Table 1 Preoperative data of the included patients.
Case Age
(y)
Gender BMI Smoking Multiple trauma Gustilo class Schatzker class OTA class Follow-up (mo) Pre-OP stay (d) Combine injury
1 27 M 22.2 Y Y IIIB 6 41-C2 21 15 Subdural hemorrhage,
left facial palsy
2 61 F 26.6 N N Closed 6 41-C3 30 0 Lateral meniscus tear
3 62 F 21.4 N N IIIC 6 41-C2 14 0 Nil
4 42 F 24.46 N N Closed 5 41-C1 30 0 Nil
5 32 M 18.9 N N IIIC 6 41-C2 12 12 Compartment syndrome
6 23 M 17.3 N Y IIIC 6 41-C2 18 16 Right deep peroneal
nerve injury
7 46 M 22.5 N N Closed 6 41-C3 13 7 Compartment syndrome
8 59 M 26 N Y Closed 6 41-C3 15 6 Compartment syndrome
9 64 F 23 N N Closed 5 41-C1 12 3 Nil 10 19 M 21.7 N N Closed 6 41-C3 16 5 Nil 11 20 F 22.4 N N Closed 6 41-C2 15 3 Nil 12 38 M 24.45 Y N Closed 6 41-C3 12 7 Nil 13 47 F 30 N N Closed 6 41-C1 15 6 Nil 14 62 F 25.84 N N Closed 6 41-C2 12 0 Nil 15 44 F 18.9 N N Closed 6 41-C1 12 0 Nil Average/ percentage 43 23.04 13.3% 20% 16.47 5.3
Table 2 Intraoperative and postoperative data of the included patients. Case Lag screw(s) Bone graft OP duration Blood loss (mL) Hospital stay (d) Post-OP MPTA Post-OP PPTA Union time (mo) Range of motion (extension to flexion) Oxford score HSS Complication(s) 1 0 Allograft 02:50 80 22 85.7 11.1 6 3e135 43 94 N 2 3 N 02:30 50 7 88.3 4.9 5 5e130 36 86 N 3 0 N 02:20 50 12 86.8 6.2 3 8e135 36 88 N 4 1 Allograft 02:35 200 8 83.3 5.2 6 3e140 41 92 N 5 0 Allograft 02:30 150 20 85.4 5.7 4 5e145 44 94 N 6 1 N 06:35 550 30 85.9 10.3 6 0e145 42 94 N 7 3 N 03:30 525 19 94 16.1 4 10e130 34 78 N 8 2 Allograft 04:10 70 17 91.5 7 10 8e125 35 84 N 9 0 Allograft 03:05 40 13 90.9 7.7 3 5e135 35 78 N 10 4 Allograft 02:35 50 12 92 7.2 4 0e140 46 96 N
11 0 Allograft 03:50 100 12 84 6.9 6 0e135 44 96 Poor wound
healing
12 0 N 02:35 50 13 84.2 7.4 4 0e140 40 92 N
13 0 Artificial graft 04:20 200 13 85.3 9.2 4 3e140 36 88 N
14 0 Allograft 03:40 50 9 87.4 8.3 4 5e135 41 94 N 15 0 N 01:50 10 7 84.2 7.7 2 3e135 40 90 N Average/ percentage 40% 60% 03:15 145 14 87.3 8.1 4.7 (4.4)a 3.9e136.3 39.5 89.6 6.7%
HSSZ Hospital for Special Surgery; MPTA Z medial proximal tibial angle; OP Z operation; PPTA Z posterior proximal tibial angle.
a Average union time except for the delayed-union case.
T
.-C.
Lee
et
unilateral anterolateral approach was employed for all patients. Reduction of the lateral articular surface was directly assessed by elevating the lateral meniscus from the anterior horn. Intraoperative fluoroscopy was used for assessment of the medial joint surface and alignment of the reduction throughout surgery. Depression of the joint sur-face was addressed by impacting subchondral bone through the created bony window or fracture gap. Temporary pin fixation was applied to maintain the joint surface, and this acted as a guide for plate placement. Bone defects were filled with allogenous cancellous bone graft or graft sub-stitute. A unilateral locking plate was placed over the lat-eral aspect of the tibia for fixation. Additional lag screws for fixation or buttressing at the medial condyle were placed for large medial fragments via small incisions. Medial buttress plating was not used in order to prevent excessive stripping of soft tissue. The surgical details are shown inTable 2.
Postoperative long-leg splinting was maintained for 2 weeks. Rehabilitation began during hospitalization using continuous passive motion devices twice daily with tem-porary removal of the splint. A shift to long-leg casting or hinged-knee bracing was then suggested for knee immobi-lization in full extension for another 2 weeks. Isometric muscle exercises and ankle pumping were also encouraged. Active range of motion was initiated 4 weeks after surgery. Partial weight-bearing was forbidden until callus formation was radiographically observed (usually 2e3 months after surgery). Radiographs were obtained at each follow-up visit at 2e4 weeks, 8e12 weeks, 5e7 months, and 11e13 months. Wound status was also clinically assessed at each follow-up.
All radiographic images were reviewed and analyzed by the picture archiving and communication system. Ante-roposterior radiographs were used to measure the medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) in the coronal plane (normal range: 82e92). In the sagittal plane, we measured the posterior proximal tibial angle (PPTA; normal range: 4e14) using a lateral view of the knee. These angles were measured according to Freedman and Johnson (Fig. 1)[9]. Malreduction was defined as postoperative alignment that exceeded the normal range of MPTA or PPTA. An increase in malalignment of more than 5 from the malalignment observed on initial postoperative radiographs was defined as fixation loss.
We used the new Oxford knee scoring system[10,11]and the Hospital for Special Surgery knee score (HSS score)[12]
to evaluate functional outcome at 1 year after surgery.
Results
The average predefined surgery stay was 5.3 days (range: 0e16 days). Three patients (20%) had compartment syn-drome and required urgent fasciotomy. The average delay in definite fixation after fasciotomy was 8.3 days (range: 6e12 days). Four patients with open fracture were initially managed with debridement. The average delay in definite surgery was 10.8 days (range: 0e16 days) for these pa-tients so that open wounds could be managed until infection was brought under control. One patient had subdural hemorrhage and underwent preoperative inten-sive care, followed by observation for 15 days until vital signs were stable.
Figure 1. The method of radiographic measurement on the anteroposterior and lateral X-rays of the knee. MPTAZ medial proximal tibia angle; PPTAZ posterior proximal tibia angle.
During surgery, the bone defects were filled with allog-enous bone graft in eight patients (53.3%) and artificial bone graft in one patient (6.7%). Lag screws were used in six patients (40%). The average surgical duration was 3.3 hours (range: 1.8e6.6 hours). The average intraoperative blood loss was 145 mL, mainly from hematoma around the fracture site. Malreduction occurred in only one patient (#7; 6.7%); MPTA and PPTA were outside the normal range in this patient because of inadequate reduction of the post-eromedial fragment (Fig. 2).
After follow-up for an average of 16.2 months (range: 12e30 months), it was observed that all patients had ach-ieved union within an average duration of 4.8 months (range: 2e10 months). One patient (#8) achieved radio-graphic union only at the 10th month, albeit without sec-ondary procedures. If this patient was excluded, the
average union time was 4.4 months. One patient (#11) incurred the complication of wound dehiscence that required secondary closure; however, deep infection was not recorded in any patients. The mean knee extension was 3.9 (range: 0e10), whereas the mean knee flexion was 136.3 (range: 125e145) at the most recent follow-up. According to Oxford knee scoring, five patients (33.3%) were classified as excellent (>41) while the remaining 10 (66.7%) were classified as good (34e41). The average HSS score was 89.6 (range: 78e96;Table 2).
During follow-up, fixation loss was observed in three patients (#1, 8, 11; 20%; Table 3) with an average age of 35.3 years and an average time to union of 7.3 months (range: 6e10 months). Most deformed alignments were found at 8e12 weeks after surgery when partial weight-bearing commenced. Fixation loss was mainly due to
Figure 2. (A) Preoperative radiographic presentation of patient #7. (B) Postoperative anteroposterior and lateral X-rays of the knee revealed malalignment. MPTAZ medial proximal tibia angle; PPTA Z posterior proximal tibia angle.
subsidence of the posteromedial fragment or varus align-ment as a result of comminution of the medial metaphysis. Two patients (#1 and #11) had a larger posterior plateau slope (Figs. 3e5).
Discussion
The rationale for using a unilateral locking plate for bicondylar tibial plateau fractures includes prevention of
Figure 3. (A) Preoperative radiographic presentation of patient #1. (B) Postoperative anteroposterior and lateral X-rays of follow-up revealed loss of fixation with increased medial proximal tibia angle and posterior proximal tibia angle.
Table 3 Cases with loss of reduction.
Coronal plane Sagittal plane Displaced fragment
Case 1 Varus Posterior slope[ Medial metaphyseal comminution
Case 8 Varus d Posteromedial fragment
a second incision wound, reduced stripping of the medial periosteum, and provision of sufficient stability for certain fracture patterns. Although Egol et al. proposed in a bio-mechanical study that the LISS plating system can provide stability equal to that of double plating [5], the rate of malreduction and fixation loss in a clinical series was still high (Table 4) [6,13e15]. We assumed that high malre-duction rates may result from difficulties in gross evalua-tion of alignment and the articular surface under intraoperative fluoroscopy or from inexperience in using the reduction technique with LISS.
In order to assess articular step-off easily, we used the open reduction method to achieve adequate exposure of the fragments and articular surface. A portable radiological unit was used to recheck gross alignment during surgery,
and we believe that the use of this device and the open method were helpful in lowering the incidence of malre-duction. To the best of our knowledge, no series has investigated the efficiency of open reduction with unilat-eral locked plating for bicondylar tibial plateau fractures. Compared with previous studies using minimally invasive techniques, we successfully decreased the rate of post-operative malalignment, as observed on postpost-operative ra-diographs (Table 4). Although the open reduction method may involve a larger incision wound, more intraoperative dissection, and greater blood loss, we recorded only one patient with superficial wound infection and one patient with delayed union. The open reduction method appeared to result in a low rate of wound complications or nonunion in our study. In addition, postoperative functional outcome Figure 4. (A) Preoperative radiographic presentation of patient #8. (B) Postoperative anteroposterior and lateral X-rays of follow-up revealed loss of fixation with varus alignment.
was good-to-excellent according to the Oxford scores. In spite of reviewing only 15 patients in this study, we can infer that the results of open reduction and fixation are clinically and functionally comparable with those of the minimally invasive method.
It was unfortunate that the incidence rate of fixation loss was still high in our study (20%), despite the relatively low initial malreduction rate. We suggest several possible reasons. First, unilateral locked plating may not allow suf-ficient stability in all bicondylar tibial plateau fractures. Locking plates are designed as fixed-angle internal fixation constructs, and their limited ability to alter the angle of the screw makes it difficult to fix fragments with certain geo-graphic variations. With regard to fracture morphology in our patients with fixation loss, the medial component or posteromedial fragment was the most commonly displaced fragment with varus alignment (Table 3). The significance of posteromedial fragments in bicondylar tibial plateau fractures was recently addressed in the literature although both incidence and subsequent displacement are usually underestimated. Barei et al. and Higgins et al. reported that the incidence rate of posteromedial fragments in pa-tients with bicondylar tibial plateau fractures was
28.8e59% [16,17]. The presentation of posteromedial fragments makes reduction and fixation of complex plateau fractures more difficult, especially when a single fixed-angle plate is used. Some biomechanical studies have proved that the stability of fixation of a posteromedial fragment with a lateral locking plate is weaker than that with conventional lateral plating with a posteromedial buttress plate [18,19]. Some authors have proposed dif-ferent approaches and reduction methods to treat poster-omedial fragments in complex plateau fractures, specifically for more secure fixation[20e23]. Evidence of the incidence of fixation loss encountered in our study may further address the weakness of the lateral locking plate system in treating bicondylar tibial plateau fractures with posteromedial fragments. Second, delayed fracture union may increase the incidence of fixation loss and implant failure. Patients with reduction loss had a much longer union time (7.3 months) than those without (4.1 months) in our study. Soft tissue damage, a comminuted fracture pattern, poor bone quality, and the timing of weight-bearing may all play key roles.
Before definite fixation, patient #1 underwent debridement for a Gustilo type II open fracture and Figure 5. (A) Immediate postoperative radiographic presentation of patient #11.(B) Follow-up lateral (right) and anteroposterior (left) X-rays revealed loss of fixation with increased medial proximal tibia angle and posterior proximal tibia angle.
Table 4 Comparison of related series of bicondylar plateau fractures with unilateral locked plating.
Study Case number Malreduction Nonunion/delayed union Loss of fixation Wound problem
Cole et al (2003)[13] 77 13 (17%) 2 (3%) 2 (3%) 3 (4%)
Stannard et al (2004)[6] 34 2 (5.8%) 0 No record 2 (5.8%)
Gosling et al (2005)[7] 62 16 (25.8%) 1 (1.6%) 9 (14.5%) 4 (6.5%)
Phisitkul et al (2007)[15] 37 7 (22%) 0 3 (8%) 7 (22%)
patient #8 underwent fasciotomy for compartment syn-drome. Case #11 had a postoperative wound complication that required secondary closure. All the three patients had suffered considerable damage to their soft tissues. Initial severe soft tissue damage or intraoperative over-stripping may result in a loss of vascular supply and increase the rates of infection or poor healing. Careful and staged management of plateau fractures with soft tissue damage is of great importance. In our series, staged treatment was arranged to observe and manage the con-dition of the soft tissues. Although there was no deep infection in the patients with fixation loss, delayed union still occurred.
A comminuted fracture pattern and bony defects are key factors in delayed union. Bone graft substitutes are commonly used to augment bone healing and reconstruct skeletal defects. We used allografts in the patients with fixation loss to decrease the gap between fragments. Although the use of allografts can avoid donor-site mor-bidity, the use of autogenous cancellous bone grafts re-mains the gold standard because of the latter’s ability to induce osteogenesis, osteoinduction, and osteo-conduction. The use of autografts may accelerate the process of bone healing and prevent delayed union and fixation loss.
The timing of weight-bearing after surgical fixation of fractures may also affect the maintenance of reduction. Per our protocol, weight-bearing is not permitted until radiographic proof of callus formation is obtained. Howev-er, patient noncompliance and incorrect radiographic interpretation can lead to inappropriate loading before the fracture is adequately healed. We believe that prolonged nonweight-bearing may be necessary for patients whose fracture gap exists with a comminuted pattern or patients whose soft tissue status is unfavorable.
The limitation of this study was that the number of pa-tients was insufficient to demonstrate statistical signifi-cance. Because of the inferior results obtained for unilateral locked plating in patients with bicondylar tibial plateau fractures, we no longer use this method.
Conclusion
Although the minimally invasive method of locked plating has become popular for managing osteopenic, comminuted, or periarticular fractures, limitations still exist. The LISS technique may decrease the amount of stripping of the soft tissue envelope, but there is a learning curve involved in the use of this technique to reduce fractures with limited fragment exposure. In our series, we used the open reduction method to keep the malreduction rate to the minimum, and functional outcome was comparable with that of LISS. However, the incidence of fixation loss remained high, especially in patients with posteromedial fragments. According to our experience with the limited number of patients in this study, we consider that locked plating has its limitations with regard to certain patterns of bicondylar tibial plateau fracture, especially in the pres-ence of medial metaphyseal comminution of the poster-omedial fragment. Supplementary medial buttress plating may be necessary in such cases.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Simon White for the English language review.
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