Surgical treatment method and short-term outcomes of high-energy injury type tibial plateau fracture combined with anterior cruciate ligament injury / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the one-stage surgical treatment method and short-term therapeutic effect for combined anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in Schatzker IV-VI tibial plateau fractures.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 79 patients with Schatzker IV-VI tibial plateau fractures who underwent surgical treatment at the Department of Traumatic Orthopedics in The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from April 2016 to February 2021 and there were 47 males and 32 females with a mean age of 51.5±13.2 years (ranging from 21 to 73 years old). Combined with preoperative MRI manifestations, meniscus injuries and avulsion fractures of collateral ligament complex were all repaired in one stage, primary reconstruction was not performed for the combined substantive injury of ACL body, and the displaced avulsion fracture of ACL insertion was only reduced without separate fixation during open reduction and internal fixation for fractures. Visual analogue scale (VAS), knee flexion range of motion, and American Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Joint (HSS) scores were used to evaluate the treatment outcomes at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively and the last follow-up.Results:All 79 patients successfully completed the surgery and were followed up for 23.6±2.2 months. The incidence of combined ACL injury was approximately 23% (18/79) with the main manifestation being intercondylar ridge avulsion fracture of ACL (10/18, 56%), which was more common in SchatzkerIV fractures (60%, 6/10). Postoperative KT-1000 measurements on the side-to-side difference in forward displacement of the healthy and affected knee joint showed no significant change in patients with ACL avulsion fracture and body injury, and there was no statistically significant difference compared to the normal range ( P>0.05). No statistically significant difference could be observed in postoperative VAS between ACL avulsion fracture, ACL body injury, and non-ACL injury groups ( P>0.05). At 3, 6, 12 months and the last follow-up after surgery, knee flexion range of motion in patients with intercondylar eminence avulsion fracture of ACL 99.7°±8.9°, 110.5°±10.3°, 120.9°±10.5°, and 121.5°±10.2° was lower than that in patients without ACL injury 106.5°±10.1°, 119.1°±9.8°, 128.3°±10.4°, and 128.3°±9.3°, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). At 3 and 6 months after surgery, patients with intercondylar eminence avulsion fracture of ACL had lower HSS scores 72.7±5.3 and 80.4±4.6 points compared to those without ACL injury 76.3±4.1 and 83.6±4.5 points, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusion:During the surgical treatment of Schatzker IV-VI tibial plateau fractures, it is feasible to treat possible concomitant injuries such as meniscus on the basis of reduction and fixation of the fracture without reconstructing the ACL in one stage, and to treat displaced ACL intercondylar eminence avulsion fractures by correct reduction without separate fixation. This treatment method can achieve good short-term postoperative outcomes.