Percutaneous Reduction and Internal Fixation for Monocondylar Fractures of Tibial Plateau: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Instead of extensive dissection of soft tissue around the fracture site, percutaneous techniques have unique advantages in managing displaced fragments, including preservation of soft tissues, less blood loss, lower risk of complications, and earlier functional rehabilitation. However, there are few systematic reviews on the effects of percutaneous reduction and internal fixation (PRIF) for tibial plateau fractures. A systematic search of Cochrane, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases was performed for all publicly available data in March 2017 regarding the use of PRIF in treating monocondylar tibial plateau fractures. Basic information of included articles, surgical information, clinical outcomes, and concomitant soft tissue injuries were collected for analysis. Finally, a total of 20 articles including 561 patients were retrieved. Traffic accident was the most common cause of injury. Percutaneous techniques using bone tamp reduction were described in all studies. The majority (≥85%) of patients were classified as excellent or good according to clinical and radiological Rasmussen scores. The overall complication rate was 6.6%, with loss of reduction the most frequent complication with an incidence of 2.4%. This systematic review indicated that PRIF was an optimal alternative that physicians should consider for the treatment of monocondylar tibial plateau fractures.