title: [Treatment of high-energy tibia plateau injury with half-ring external fixation combined with minimum internal fixation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of less invasive surgical treatment for high-energy tibia plateau injury with half-ring external fixation combined with minimum internal fixation.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January, 2003 to May,2006, 16 cases of high-energy tibia plateau fracture were treated with half-ring external fixation combined with minimum internal fixation including 10 cases of type V and 6 cases of type VI according to Schatzker's classification. The average age of the patients was 42.4 years (range 25 to 50 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were followed for an average of 16 months (range 5 to 27 months). All the fractures healed after an average time of 3.5 months. Two patients developed infections of the pin holes. According to the criteria of Rasmussen, excellent results were achieved in 10, good results in 4 cases, moderate in 2, and poor in none.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Half-ring external fixation combined with minimum internal fixation can be ideal for treatment of complex tibia plateau fracture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. xiezhao54981@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Xue-hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xu-quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu-zhi
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jian-zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qi-hong
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome