title: Radiographic and clinical results after surgically treated tibial plateau fractures at three and twenty two years postsurgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the development of osteoarthritis (OA) and post-traumatic bone loss after surgery for tibial plateau fractures (TPF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who had participated in previous follow-up (FU) examinations after TPF and primary reduction and internal fixation were re-evaluated. At the first FU, a median of three years after the accident (short-term FU), the patients underwent functional assessments and standardised X-rays to grade radiological OA and post-traumatic bone loss. At the second FU, a median of 22 years after the accident (long-term FU), 30 patients were available. An identical protocol was applied, and additional investigations [Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the injured knee] were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the subjective and objective results at first FU were compared with those of the second FU for the same patients, deterioration of symptoms, signs and radiological OA was noted; however, ten patients had no OA even after the long-term FU. Some patients developed post-traumatic bone loss. In 13 of 31 knees, there was little or no radiological evidence of bone loss at the second FU.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The short-term FU examination results after TPF have little prognostic value for the individual patient, as good results may deteriorate over the long run; however, there were some knees with no OA at the long-term FU. This is the first report focusing on post-traumatic bone loss after TPF.
authors.affiliation: Trauma Center UKH Linz, Linz, Austria, georg.mattiassich@gmx.at.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mattiassich
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Foltin
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scheurecker
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneiderbauer
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kröpfl
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fischmeister
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult