title: Early weight bearing of lateral tibial plateau fractures.
abstract: From 1975 to 1984, 134 consecutive lateral tibial plateau fractures were treated as part of this prospective study. Eighty-six fractures (64%) were followed until union, with an average follow-up period of 22.7 months. The two aims of this study were: First, to analyze the results of operative and nonoperative therapy in each fracture type, and second, to evaluate the effect of early weight bearing in a cast brace in both types of treatment. All lateral tibial plateau fractures with greater than 5 mm depression or displacement were treated operatively. Forty-four patients were treated operatively and 42 patients nonoperatively. All patients were treated with early range of motion and weight bearing in a cast brace. Fractures were initially classified using Hohl's classification system. Overall, 95% of the patients with Type I, II, or V fractures had satisfactory results, as opposed to only 70% of patients with Type III fractures. Of the Type III fractures, 83% treated operatively had satisfactory results compared with 53% treated nonoperatively. Moreover, early weight bearing did not produce further depression greater than 2 mm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mallik
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wetzler
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Franchi
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Whitelaw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001915:Braces; D002370:Casts, Surgical; D004434:Early Ambulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D016474:Weight-Bearing