title: Minimally invasive and open surgical treatment of proximal tibia fractures using a polyaxial locking plate system: a prospective multi-centre study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether a polyaxial locking plate of the latest generation (NCB PT(®), Zimmer Inc.) which can be applied both open and minimally invasively, can be used as a routine method of treatment for proximal tibia fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six patients (35 women, 51 men; mean age 51 years) were enrolled in this prospective multicentre trial. Ninety-six percent of the fractures were intra-articular (AO type B and C); 36 % were treated open and 64 % minimally invasively. Follow-up was obtained three, six and 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No implant failure occurred. At 12 months, the functional result using a knee-specific score was good to excellent in 95 %, and 99 % of the fractures were radiologically healed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The system is a versatile implant for proximal tibia fracture treatment. Polyaxiality and a specific locking mechanism are compatible with different fracture patterns. The minimally invasive technique effectively protects soft tissues but should not be performed at the expense of fracture reduction. Early functional results and complication rate are comparable to those in the literature.
authors: Orthopaedic Trauma, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 80981, Ulm, Germany.
authors: Jens A
authors: JA
authors: Jöckel
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Erhardt
authors: Miscia
authors: M
authors: Vincenti
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Reissig
authors: Reinhard
authors: R
authors: Hoffmann
authors: Baher
authors: B
authors: Husain
authors: Gert
authors: G
authors: Täger
authors: Axel
authors: A
authors: Partenheimer
authors: Helmut
authors: H
authors: Lill
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Gebhard
authors: Götz
authors: G
authors: Röderer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome