Background

The degree of postoperative pain is usually moderate to severe following Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA). Comfort and lack of pain are important for optimal mobilization and earlier home discharge.

Tibial plateau fractures are common fractures which most of the times require surgery. Recovery can take several months. The aim of our study was to estimate the effect of tibial plateau fractures in quality of life of patients one year after the surgery.

During the time period 2004–2007 we treated 86 patients, with a mean age of 44 years (23–68). Fracture classification was according to Schatzker, hence, there were 9 patients with type I, 14 with type II, 20 with type III, 22 with type IV, 13 with type V and 8 with type VI. In 45 (52.3%) patients the articular surface was reduced with limited use of internal fixation and bone grafts, whereas the remaining patients had syndesmotaxis performed. In all patients stabilization was achieved with hybrid external fixators. Sixty four patients returned in one year postoperative for the study, at which time they completed the Short Form-36 (SF-36) general health surveys.

Compared to the standardized SF-36 categorical and aggregate scores there was no statistically significant difference between the healthy age-matched population and young patients with Schatzker I, II, III and IV fractures. But in 16 patients over 40 years old with Schatzker V and VI fracture, SF-36 score was lower in all categories, despite that 13 of them had full or partial return to pre-injury levels of functioning

We conclude that the age of patients and the complexity of tibial plateau fractures influence the quality of their life one year post-operative

Aim: To evaluate the long term results of the combined treatment of hybrid external fixator and limited internal fixation along with the advantages using pre-operative and post-operative computed tomography scan in these cases.

Material and Methods: During a period of 12 months, 16 fractures of tibial plateau, were treated in 16 patients. Fractures were classified according to Schatzker’s staging system as type II 2 cases, type III 4 cases, type IV 3 cases, type V 4 cases, type VI 3 cases. Eleven patients were men and 5 women with a mean age of 42 years old (27–67 years). In all cases pre-operatively were programmed coronal and saggital reconstructed CT-Scan, revealed the precise location and degree of articular comminution and joint depression. The principles of ligamentotaxis was used to achieve the closed indirect reduction, and limited open reduction with internal fixation was performed in 9 patients. All cases were treated with hybrid external fixators. After the removal of the plants, CT-Scan was programmed for all the cases.

Results: All patients were evaluated with a mean period of follow up 1.9 years. Healing was achieved in all 16 cases with a mean period of 16 weeks. There was no non-union. Pin tract infection occurred in two cases. Two fractures developed a malunion (1 valgus deformity and 1 anterior angular deformity). Radiographic evidence of arthritis appeared in 2 patients during follow up. CT-Scan offer us the possibility to measure precious the sinking of the tibia plateau in degrees, the condylar widening in mm, the degeneration of joint space, the varus-valgus tilt in degrees, the articular step-off in mm and the bone healing. Based to post-operative CT-Scan information we can organize a safe rehabilitation program and aloud the full bear-weight in the perfect time.

Conclusions: The use of circular external fixators obtains good stabilization allows early joint motion, protects soft tissue envelope and in combination with minimal internal fixation on achieves satisfactory reduction. It is almost impossible to measure sinking of the tibia plateau since plain radiographs do not distinguish between a local defect and depression of the condyles. The pre-operative CT-Scan assists in the pre-operative management. The post-operative CT-Scan shows important information about bone healing. Postoperative radiographs may have led to an underestimation of the degree of residual displacement. On the contrary, CT-Scan demonstrates the exact grade of articular displacement and depending on CT-Scan results one can better manage the post-operative rehabilitation.