Objective To review and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of minimally invasive treatment techniques for tibial plateau fractures (TPFs), as well as the research progress and limitations. Methods The relevant domestic and international research literature on the minimally invasive treatment of TPFs in recent years was reviewed. The advantages, disadvantages, and clinical efficacy of various technologies were summarized and analyzed, and an outlook on future development trends was provided. Results Surgery remains the primary method for treating displaced TPFs. Although traditional open reduction and internal fixation has advantages such as direct reduction and simplicity of procedure, it has gradually fallen out of favor with clinical orthopedic doctors due to extensive soft tissue removal, excessive bleeding, tissue adhesion, and postoperative complications such as skin infection, fracture nonunion, and joint dysfunction. As medical technology continues to develop, minimally invasive surgery and precise diagnosis and treatment are gradually being introduced to orthopedic trauma. Guided by concepts such as “minimally invasive treatment”, “homeopathic repositioning of fractures”, and “internal compression fixation”, many traction reduction devices, internal fixation devices, minimally invasive reduction techniques, and computer-aided navigation technologies have been widely used in the clinical treatment of TPFs. This has greatly helped to overcome the challenges of intraoperative reduction, secondary reduction loss, and postoperative functional impairment and effectively promoting the adoption of minimally invasive treatment techniques in the clinical treatment of TPFs. Conclusion Minimally invasive treatment techniques have made significant progress in the clinical treatment of TPFs, particularly with regard to the reduction, and have demonstrated unique advantages. While relevant research results have received international recognition, there is still a need for orthopedic scholars to conduct real-world research to further explore the underlying principles and mechanisms of action.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of minimally invasive treatment for bilateral tibial plateau fractures using the double reverse traction reducer. Methods The clinical data of 4 patients with bilateral tibial plateau fractures who met the selection criteria and treated between January 2016 and April 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The cohort included 3 males and 1 female, aged 30-65 years (mean, 52.5 years). Injury mechanisms comprised traffic accidents (2 cases) and falls (2 cases). According to the Schatzker classification, 2 limbs were type Ⅱ and 6 were type Ⅵ. The time from injury to surgery ranged from 5 to 9 days (mean, 7 days). All patients underwent minimally invasive reduction using the double reverse traction reducer. Surgical duration, intraoperative blood loss, and hospitalization time were recorded. Functional outcomes were assessed at last follow-up using the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and range of motion (ROM), while fracture reduction quality was evaluated using the Rasmussen radiological score. Results All 4 patients successfully completed the procedure without conversion to open reduction. The total mean operation time was 80.25 minutes (range, 73-86 minutes), with a mean total intraoperative blood loss of 132.5 mL (range, 100-150 mL). The mean hospitalization time was 13.5 days (range, 11-16 days). All incisions healed primarily without neurovascular complications. X-ray film at 1 day after operation confirmed satisfactory reduction and articular surface alignment. Follow-up time ranged from 12 to 26 months (mean, 17.0 months). Fractures achieved clinical union at an average of 13 weeks (range, 12-16 weeks). No complication, such as deep vein thrombosis, joint stiffness, post-traumatic arthritis, or implant failure, was observed. At last follow-up, the mean HSS score was 92.9 (range, 90-97), mean knee ROM was 128.1° (range, 115°-135°), and mean Rasmussen radiological score was 16.4 (range, 15-19), with 2 limbs rated as excellent and 6 as good. Conclusion The double reverse traction reducer facilitates minimally invasive treatment of bilateral tibial plateau fractures with advantages including minimal trauma, shorter surgical duration, precise reduction, and fewer complications, effectively promoting fracture healing and functional recovery of the knee joint.
Objective To investigate the biomechanical characteristics of Schatzker type Ⅱ tibial plateau fracture fixed by different bone grafting methods and internal fixations. Methods Twenty-four embalmed specimens of adult knee joint were selected to make Schatzker type Ⅱ tibial plateau fracture models, which were randomly divided into 8 groups (groups A1-D1 and groups A2-D2, n=3). After all the fracture models were restored, non-structural iliac crest bone grafts were implanted in group A1-D1, and structural iliac crest bone grafts in groups A2-D2. Following bone grafting, group A was fixed with a lateral golf locking plate, group B was fixed with lateral golf locking plate combined compression bolt, group C was fixed with lateral tibial “L”-shaped locking plate, and group D was fixed with lateral tibial “L”-shaped locking plate combined compression bolt. Compression and cyclic loading tests were performed on a biomechanical testing machine. A distal femur specimen or a 4-cm-diameter homemade bone cement ball were used as a pressure application mould for each group of models. The specimens were loaded with local compression at a rate of 10 N/s and the mechanical loads were recorded when the vertical displacement of the split bone block reached 2 mm. Then, compressive and cyclic loading tests were conducted on the fixed models of each group. The specimens were compression loaded to 100, 400, 700, and 1 000 N at a speed of 10 N/s to record the vertical displacement of the split bone block. The specimens were also subjected to cyclic loading at 5 Hz and 10 N/s within the ranges 100-300, 100-500, 100-700, and 100-1 000 N to record the vertical displacement of the split bone block at the end of the entire cyclic loading test. The specimens were subjected to cyclic loading tests and the vertical displacement of the split bone block was recorded at the end of the test. Results When the vertical displacement of the collapsed bone block reached 2 mm, the mechanical load of groups A2-D2 was significantly greater than that of groups A1-D1 (P<0.05). The mechanical load of groups B and D was significantly greater than that of group A under the two bone grafting methods (P<0.05); the local mechanical load of group D was significantly greater than that of groups B and C under the structural iliac crest bone grafts (P<0.05). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the vertical displacement of the split bone blocks between the two bone graft methods when the compressive load was 100, 400, 700 N and the cyclic load was 100-300, 100-500, 100-700 N in groups A-D. However, the vertical displacement of bone block in groups A1-D1 was significantly greater than that in groups A2-D2 (P<0.05) when the compressive loading was 1 000 N and the cyclic load was 100-1 000 N. The vertical displacement of bone block in group B was significantly smaller than that in group A, and that in group D was significantly smaller than that in group C under the same way of bone graft (P<0.05). Conclusion Compared with non-structural iliac crest bone grafts implantation, structural iliac crest bone grafts is more effective in preventing secondary collapse of Schatzker type Ⅱ tibial plateau fracture, and locking plate combined with compression bolt fixation can provide better articular surface support and resistance to axial compression, and the lateral tibial “L”-shaped locking plate can better highlight its advantages of “raft” fixation and show better mechanical stability.