Surgical management of displaced talus neck fractures: single vs double approach, screw fixation alone vs screw and plating fixation-systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To provide a direct comparison between two important aspects related to talar neck fractures management - surgical approaches and fixation strategies. DATA SOURCES: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using PubMed, SciELO, and gray literature databases. The keyword "talus fracture" and the combined terms "talus neck fracture AND surgical approach" and "talus neck fracture AND fixation strategy" were used. STUDY SELECTION: Study selection, data extraction, and the risk of bias assessment were performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Searches were limited to human studies and the English and Portuguese. Inclusion criteria were articles in full text that reported on any aspect of surgical approach and fixation strategy for talus neck fractures. Exclusion criteria were skeletally immature patients, mean follow-up of less than 12 months, studies that did not use the Hawkins classification system, primary treatment of arthrodesis, studies published before year 2000, and studies published in languages other than English and Portuguese. DATA EXTRACTION: Basic information was collected including journal, author(s), year published, level of evidence, number of fractures, and follow-up. Specific information was collected including fracture classification, surgical approach, fixation strategy, complication rate, type of complication(s), and outcome measurement(s). DATA SYNTHESIS: Fixed-effects model was used for meta-analysis. The choice for surgical approach(es) and fixation strategy was stratified based on fracture classification. Complication rate, type of complication(s), and outcome measurement(s) were calculated for all studies and delineated by fracture classification. CONCLUSION: There is a significant correlation between poor scores and poor fracture reduction, but not with the modified Hawkins classification, surgical approach, and fixation strategy. The presence of an open talus neck fracture-dislocation jeopardizes the functional outcome, increasing the risk of complications. The overall avascular necrosis and post-traumatic osteoarthritis event rate was 0.279 and 0.400, respectively. Both complications were highly correlated to higher energy fracture patterns and to the use of combined approaches, but not to fixation strategy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I (systematic review and meta-analysis).

Plate-screw and screw-washer stability in a Schatzker type-I lateral tibial plateau fracture: a comparative biomechanical study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical role of both a non-locking two-hole small fragment dynamic compression plate with 3.5-mm screws and a 4.5-mm cortical screw with a washer applied to a Schatzker type-I tibial plateau fracture. Sixteen right synthetic tibiae were used to create an anterolateral shear tibial plateau fracture (Schatzker type-I fracture). Eight models were fixed with a small fragment non-locked straight dynamic compression plate with one 3.5-mm bicortical screw (plate-screw construction) and eight models were fixed with a 4.5-mm cortical screw and a washer (screw-washer construction), both inserted at 1.0 mm distal to the apex of the fracture. Specimens were tested up to the onset of yielding at a constant strain rate of 5.0-mm/min. Stiffness ranged from 311.83 N/mm to 199.54 N/mm, with a mean + SD of 260.32 + 33.8 N/mm in the plate-screw construction, and from 290.34 N/mm to 99.16 N/mm, with a mean + SD of 220.46 + 63.12 N/mm in screw-washer construction. There was no significant difference (p=0.172). Use of a two-hole small-fragment non-locked plate with one 3.5-mm cortical screw or a 4.5-mm cortical screw with a washer applied at 1.0 mm distal to the apex of the fracture as buttressing present similar stiffness in terms of preventing axial displacement in synthetic tibiae models tested up to the onset of yielding.

Plate-screw and screw-washer stability in a Schatzker type-I lateral tibial plateau fracture: a comparative biomechanical study / Comportamento biomecânico de dois tipos de fixação usados como suporte na fratura do platô tibial lateral do tipo I de Schatzker

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical role of both a non-locking two-hole small fragment dynamic compression plate with 3.5-mm screws and a 4.5-mm cortical screw with a washer applied to a Schatzker type-I tibial plateau fracture. Sixteen right synthetic tibiae were used to create an anterolateral shear tibial plateau fracture (Schatzker type-I fracture). Eight models were fixed with a small fragment non-locked straight dynamic compression plate with one 3.5-mm bicortical screw (plate-screw construction) and eight models were fixed with a 4.5-mm cortical screw and a washer (screw-washer construction), both inserted at 1.0 mm distal to the apex of the fracture. Specimens were tested up to the onset of yielding at a constant strain rate of 5.0-mm/min. Stiffness ranged from 311.83 N/mm to 199.54 N/mm, with a mean + SD of 260.32 + 33.8 N/mm in the plate-screw construction, and from 290.34 N/mm to 99.16 N/mm, with a mean + SD of 220.46 + 63.12 N/mm in screw-washer construction. There was no significant difference (p=0.172). Use of a two-hole small-fragment non-locked plate with one 3.5-mm cortical screw or a 4.5-mm cortical screw with a washer applied at 1.0 mm distal to the apex of the fracture as buttressing present similar stiffness in terms of preventing axial displacement in synthetic tibiae models tested up to the onset of yielding.

RESUMO O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o comportamento biomecânico de dois tipos de fixação: placa de compressão dinâmica de pequenos fragmentos, não bloqueada com parafuso de 3,5mm e parafuso cortical de 4,5mm com arruela, ambos posicionados no vértice de fratura do platô tibial do tipo I de Schatzker. Dezesseis tíbias sintéticas foram utilizadas para criar uma fratura por cisalhamento na face ântero-lateral do platô tibial (tipo I de Schatzker). Oito modelos foram fixados com placa de compressão dinâmica de pequenos fragmentos não bloqueada com parafuso de 3,5mm, inserido 1,0mm distal ao vértice da fratura (construção placa-parafuso), e oito modelos foram fixados com parafuso cortical de 4,5mm com arruela, inserido 1,0mm distal ao vértice da fratura (construção parafuso-arruela). Os modelos foram testados em compressão axial até o início da falha mecânica na interface construção-osso, com taxa de deformação constante de 5,0mm/min. A rigidez variou de 311,83 N/mm a 199,54 N/mm, com média + DP de 260,32 + 33,8 N/mm nos modelos da construção placa-parafuso, e de 290,34 N/mm a 99,16 N/mm, com média + DP de 220,46 + 63,12 N/mm nos modelos da construção parafuso-arruela. Não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa (p=0,172). A utilização de placa de compressão dinâmica de pequenos fragmentos não bloqueada com parafuso de 3,5mm ou de parafuso cortical de 4,5mm com arruela, posicionados no vértice da fratura do platô tibial do tipo I de Schatzker, apresenta rigidez similar na prevenção do desvio axial da fratura.