Short-term outcomes of rod-shaped glass bone graft for treatment of tibial plateau fracture

Abstract

Objective To analyze the short-term outcomes of rod-shaped glass bone graft for the treatment of tibial plateau fracture. Methods From January 2019 to February 2019, 4 patients with tibial plateau fracture underwent minimally invasive reduction and new glass bone graft at Trauma Emergency Center, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University. They were 2 men and 2 women, aged from 31 to 67 years (average, 42 years). The fractures happened at 3 left sides and one right side. According to Schanzker's classification, 3 cases were type Ⅱ and one case was type Ⅲ. According to Zhang's classification for tibial plateau fractures, they were all type Ⅰ. The reduction was carried out under general anesthesia by a Zhang's traction device and a self-made rod. A rod-shaped glass bone graft of appropriate size was implanted along the bone tunnel. The plate was implanted through small incisions after fluoroscopy results were satisfactory. Intraoperative arthroscopic examination was used to assess fracture displacement before wound closure. The operation time, incision length, fluoroscopic frequency for insertion of guide needle, intraoperative blood loss, and short-term postoperative complications were recorded for each patient. Results The operation time for the patients averaged 37.5 min, the total length of all incisions 7.0 cm, the fluoroscopy required for insertion of guide needle 8.8 times, and the intraoperative blood loss 40.0 ml. All incisions were healed by the first intention. Postoperative intermuscular thrombosis occurred in 2 cases. No postoperative infection or related complications happened. Conclusion Rod-shaped glass bone graft can lead to positive short-term outcomes for tibial plateau fractures, but a more reliable conclusion necessitates further clinical trials with a large sample size and long-term follow-up. Key words: Knee joint; Surgical procedures, minimally invasive; Bone graft; Tibial plateau fracture; Glass bone