Treatment of comminuted fracture of tibial plateau with ni-ti shape memory alloy bow-teeth screws combined with locking plate internal fixation / 中国骨伤

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the clinical effects of Ni-Ti shape memory alloy bow-teeth screws combined with locking plate internal fixation in treating comminuted fracture of tibial plateau.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From January 2003 to December 2008, 17 patients with comminuted fracture of tibial plateau were treated with Ni-Ti shape memory alloy bow-teeth screws and locking plate internal fixation. There were 9 males and 8 females with an average age of 33.7 years old (ranged, 23 to 48 years). All fractures were fresh and injured time less 3 weeks and 2 patients with common peroneal nerve injury. According to Schatzker typing, type V was in 1 case and type VI was in 16 cases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients were followed up from 10 to 22 months with an average of 18 months and all incisions healed in one stage. At 3 to 12 weeks after operation, knee joint function of 16 cases arrived to the level of uninjured side and 1 case was poor in flexed function. All fractures obtained union at 3 to 5 months after operation, and internal fixtures were removed at 1 year after operation and no reduction lossing or refracture occurred. At final follow-up, no bone block shifting, internal fixture loosening and breakage was found. According to the standard of Xushanding's knee joint function, 9 cases got excellent results, 4 good, 4 fair.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The design of Ni-Ti shape memory alloy bow-teeth screws is adapt to irregular anatomic structure of comminuted fractures of tibial plateau,it can continuously pressurize and promote bone healing. Multi drop lockedup may avoid wide-ranging stripping local soft tissue, and form three-dimension fixation after combined with locking plate internal fixation, can effective recover anatomic structure of fracture. So Ni-Ti shape memory alloy bow-teeth screws combined with locking plate internal fixation is an effective method in treating comminuted fracture of tibial plateau.</p>