title: Severely comminuted bicondylar tibial plateau fractures in geriatric patients: a report of 2 cases treated with open reduction and postoperative external fixation.
abstract: We present 2 cases of C3-type fractures of the tibial plateau in geriatric patients. Our treatment concept--in particular the use of postoperative external fixation--is not yet described in the recent literature and includes initial external fixation, internal fixation after soft tissue consolidation using a median incision, filling of the metaphyseal comminution zone with allogenic cancellous bone obtained from a femoral head, anteromedial and anterolateral fixed-angle double plating, and external fixation postoperatively until osseous healing. The described treatment plan does not provide a valid alternative for the treatment of bicondylar fractures in younger patients. It may be an option for the treatment of C3-type fractures in geriatric patients only.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery and Sports Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria. dietmar@krappinger.eu
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krappinger
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Struve
authors.forename: Vinzenz
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Smekal
authors.forename: Burkhart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huber
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome