Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Unicondylar tibial plateau fracture (TPF) is a common orthopaedic injury. Although some are treated nonsurgically with excellent results, many are treated operatively to achieve improved patient outcomes. Commonly utilized surgical treatment options include open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) and percutaneous treatment which may include arthroscopic reduction internal fixation (ARIF). The most used classification remains the Schatzker fracture classification. This article presents a review of the epidemiology, relevant anatomy, biomechanics, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of tibial plateau fractures.
Introduction
Unicondylar tibial plateau fractures (TPF) are fractures typically seen in adults ages 40 to 60 yr, with a mean age of 52.6.[1] A large, population-based study demonstrated the incidence of all TPFs to be 10.3 per 100,000 annually, with 59.7% of the total being partial articular fractures (AO Foundation/Orthopaedic Trauma Association [AO/OTA] type 41B).[1] Fracture incidence was higher in men younger than 50 yr and was elevated markedly in women older than 50 yr.[1] The difference in incidence among men and women, which specifically increases among postmenopausal women, suggests that bone mineral density (BMD) can play a significant role in the incidence of TPFs.[1–3]
There is typically a bimodal incidence of TPF. In younger populations TPFs often present after high-energy events such as falls from a height, automobile and motorcycle accidents, or pedestrian versus automobile accidents, whereas TPFs in older populations occur from low-energy events such as fragility fractures.
