Clinical effect of locking plate internal fixation on tibial plateau fractures and medium and long-term follow-up study

Abstract

Objective To investigate the efficacy of locking plate internal fixation on tibial plateau fractures and the medium and long-term follow-up. Methods Eighty-four patients with tibial plateau fractures were selected and divided into two groups according to surgical scheme, with 42 cases in each group. The patients in observation group were treated by locking plate internal fixation, and the patients in control group were treated by common plate fixation. The operation related indicators, surgical results and postoperative complications were observed and followed up for 3 years. The knee mobility, tibial plateau tilt angle (PA) and varus angle (TPA) were compared between the two groups after six months, 1 year and 3 years. Results After the operation, the hospital observation, full weight bearing and fracture healing time of the patients in observation group were shorter than those of the control group, the differences were significant (P 0.05). There was no significant difference in knee mobility, PA or TPA between the two groups after 0.5 year, 1 year and 3 years (P<0.05). Conclusions Locking plate fixation has good fixation effect on tibial plateau fracture, by which patients recover quickly and the knee joint movement is good in the middle and long term, and it will not cause the tilting of the tibial plateau and the loss of varus angle. The operation effect is remarkable and the safety is high. It is worthy of clinical application. Key words: Locking plate internal fixation; Tibial plateau fracture; Fracture healing time