Factors related to functional recovery of the knee following tibial plateau fracture complicated with intercondylar ridge fracture / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the factors related to functional recovery of the knee in patients with tibial plateau fracture complicated with intercondylar ridge fracture.Methods:Included in this retrospective study were 63 patients who had been treated at Emergency Center of Trauma, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January to June 2019 for tibial plateau fracture complicated with intercondylar ridge fracture. They were 43 males and 20 females, aged from 18 to 66 years (average, 43.9 years). According to our comprehensive classification of tibial plateau fractures, there were 27 simple ones (20 cases of type Ⅰ and 7 cases of type Ⅱ) and 36 complicated ones (16 cases of type Ⅲ, 17 cases of type Ⅳ, one of type Ⅴ and 2 cases of type Ⅵ). To screen out major influencing factors, a multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the 12 factors that might affect functional recovery of the knee by the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) scoring age, gender, occupation, fracture type, way of medical payment, cause of injury, operation method, starting time for rehabilitation, postoperative brace installation, time from injury to operation, length of hospital stay, and presence or absence of a free intercondylar ridge fracture fragment.Results:The 63 patients were followed up for 6.0 to 7.1 months (average, 6.1 months). The HSS knee scores ranged from 45 to 100 points (average, 92.4 points). The HSS knee scores were significantly different between different fracture types ( P<0.05). The HSS scores were significantly higher for the patients without a free intercondylar ridge fracture fragment than for those with ( P<0.05). Multiple linear regression model analysis of the 5 variables with P<0.02 in the single factor analysis (age, fracture type, way of medical payment, hospital stay and presence or absence of a free intercondylar ridge fracture fragment) and HSS scores showed that only fracture type and presence or absence of a free intercondylar ridge fracture fragment had a significant impact on the knee function. Their regression equation was Y=125.591-7.790a-17.277b (Y indicates HSS score, a indicates fracture type and b indicates presence or absence of a free intercondylar ridge fracture fragment). Conclusions:The short-term prognosis for tibial plateau fractures of comprehensive types Ⅰ&Ⅱ (simple ones) may be better than that for tibial plateau fractures of comprehensive types Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ&Ⅵ (complicated ones). For patients with a free intercondylar ridge fracture fragment on their lateral knee X-ray film, effective reduction and fixation is indicated but is not for those without.