Characteristics of patients requiring early total knee replacement after surgically treated lateral tibial plateau fractures-A comparative cohort study

PURPOSE: The primary aim of the present study was to compare basic characteristics of patients requiring early treatment with TKR and patients not requiring TKR within 3 years following a lateral tibial plateau fracture.

METHODS: Comparative cohort study. From December 2013 to November 2016, 56 patients were included. Five patients required a TKR within the first 3 years. We compared the basic characteristics (age, gender, BMI, comorbidity, osteoporosis, fracture classification, soft tissue injuries and trauma mechanism) between patients.

RESULTS: Comparing baseline characteristics of the two groups of patients shows a higher rate of females (56.4% vs 80%), a higher BMI (25.9 vs 29.9), a higher rate of patients with diabetes (8% vs 20%), a higher rate of the fracture type AO 41-B1 (8% vs 80%) and a higher rate of soft tissue injuries (46% vs 100%). Age, smoking status and preoperative maximum joint depression were comparable between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Female gender, severe comorbidity, obesity, osteopenia, fracture type AO 41-B and soft tissue injuries were associated to early total knee replacements following surgically treated lateral tibial plateau fractures.