Knee instability after fractures of the intercondylar eminence of the tibia

Fifteen children with fracture of the intercondylar eminence of the tibia were reviewed. Three with type I or type II fractures had closed treatment. Twelve with type III fractures had open reduction and internal fixation. Follow-up examination included history and examination of the knee; nine had follow-up radiographs. The mean follow-up period was 7 years. Seven patients were free of symptoms; eight had varying degrees of pain, of which four had to avoid some athletic activities; and two described subluxation episodes. All had normal motion, four had atrophy, and all had some evidence of anterior cruciate ligament laxity. The anterior cruciate ligament probably stretches before its tibial attachment fractures. Even though the fracture heals in its normal position, mild degrees of anterior cruciate ligament laxity often will result.     

Fractures of the intercondylar eminence in children and adolescents

The treatment of choice of completely dislocated fractures of the intercondylar eminence is controversial. Recently, Zifko and Gaudernak [14] introduced a new classification in which they distinguish between two different types of intercondylar fractures: Type A: isolated avulsion of the anterior cruciate ligament Type B: fractures including the intercondylar eminence In order to assess whether this new classification could lead to a better selection of patients requiring open reduction, 19 children were reviewed 2-16 years after they had sustained a fracture of the intercondylar eminence. All patients with incompletely displaced fragments had an excellent or good ultimate result, independent of the kind of initial treatment received. Eleven patients sustained a complete displaced fracture. Of these, two had a poor result. Both had been treated conservatively for isolated avulsion of the anterior cruciate ligament. All conservatively treated type-B fractures had an excellent or good result. It is concluded that completely displaced type-A fractures require operative treatment by open reduction and fixation of the avulsed fragment.     

Fractures of the medial condyle of the humerus in children

Twenty-seven cases of fractures of the medial condyle of the humerus in children were grouped into one of three types, based on displacement of the medial condyle on initial roentgenograms. Results after an average follow-up of 2.2 years showed that children less than 5 years old tended to have undisplaced fractures giving rise to good results. Older children tended to have more severely displaced fractures. Good results were obtained in patients who were seen early after injury and who had adequate reduction of their fractures. In cases seen late, proper reduction and immobilization are necessary to achieve satisfactory results.     

Minimally Invasive Technique for Reduction and Stabilization of Radial Head and Radial Neck Fractures in Children A Description of a Modified Technique and an Overview of the Literature

Integrity of soft tissues plays a major role in the final outcome of fractures of the proximal radius. Numerous minimally invasive operative techniques were developed to avoid additional trauma during surgical procedure. An overview over the literature is given in the present paper. We report a modified technique of Kapandji for percutaneous reduction and stabilization of displaced radial neck and radial head fractures in children. Functional results in 5 cases were good, and the children had no complaints. In one case with a luxation of the elbow and a fracture of the lateral epicondyle of humerus persitent rotation deficit was oberseved. The modified percutaneous method described here demonstrates an alternative procedure to reduce and stabilize displaced radial head and radial neck fractures. In contrast to open reduction this method avoids impairment of the anular ligament and joint capsule. Associated complex injuries of the elbow with soft tissue trauma, however, may lead to unsatisfactory functional results despite minimal operative technique and anatomic reduction.     

Minimally Invasive Technique for Reduction and Stabilization of Radial Head and Radial Neck Fractures in Children A Description of a Modified Technique and an Overview of the Literature

Integrity of soft tissues plays a major role in the final outcome of fractures of the proximal radius. Numerous minimally invasive operative techniques were developed to avoid additional trauma during surgical procedure. An overview over the literature is given in the present paper. We report a modified technique of Kapandji for percutaneous reduction and stabilization of displaced radial neck and radial head fractures in children. Functional results in 5 cases were good, and the children had no complaints. In one case with a luxation of the elbow and a fracture of the lateral epicondyle of humerus persitent rotation deficit was oberseved. The modified percutaneous method described here demonstrates an alternative procedure to reduce and stabilize displaced radial head and radial neck fractures. In contrast to open reduction this method avoids impairment of the anular ligament and joint capsule. Associated complex injuries of the elbow with soft tissue trauma, however, may lead to unsatisfactory functional results despite minimal operative technique and anatomic reduction.     

Capitellar fracture with bony avulsion of the lateral collateral ligament in a child: Case report

IntroductionIsolated capitellar fracture is a rare injury accounting for 1% of all elbow fractures Bryan and Morrey (1985) and Poynton et al. (1998). In children, a fall on an outstretched hand, before the fusion of the epiphysis, usually leads to lateral condyle physeal fractures. Very few cases of capitellar fractures in the paediatric population have been reported.Presentation of caseOur patient, a 9-year-old girl presented with a capitellar fracture and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) avulsion of her left elbow. A type IV capitellar fracture, indicated by the double arc sign on the radiogram, was confirmed with 3-dimensional computed tomography. The patient underwent open reduction through a lateral approach and fixation with 2 Herbert’s screws. The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) avulsion was repaired with 2 suture anchors. Early mobilization and rehabilitation were started soon after the surgery. Follow-up radiography showed union of the fracture with no signs of osteonecrosis.DiscussionCapitellum fracture in children is easily overlooked due to its rarity. And hereby, meticulous history, clinical examination and proper radiological views with high index of suspicion is crucial in order diagnose these injuries. Our patient had type IV capitellar fracture with lateral collateral ligament avulsion. Principles of management of these intra articular fractures include accurate reduction, stable fixation and early mobilization. We used an extensile lateral approach to expose, reduce and fix the fracture. LCL avulsion was fixed with 2 suture anchors.ConclusionCapitellum fractures are rare injuries in children. Careful evaluation and proper stable fixation are the cornerstones of good functional results.     

Fracture of the tibial spine in adults and children. A review of 31 cases.

We reviewed 19 adults and 12 children who had been treated for avulsion fractures of the tibial spine. Adult injuries have not previously been reported at length; most were caused by road-traffic accidents, and 68% were associated with other injuries, of which 58% were around the knee. The higher incidence of associated injuries in adults as compared with children, indicates that the injury is the result of greater energy and perhaps a different mechanism. The worse outcome in some adults was due to other associated intra-articular fractures and tears of the medial collateral ligament. Arthroscopy is useful in both diagnosis and treatment. Early accurate diagnosis and the correct treatment produce a good outcome.     

Epidemiology of knee injuries in children

We analyzed 91 consecutive metaphyseal fractures, physeal injuries, and ligament ruptures in children aged 0-14 years. In the younger children, metaphyseal fractures dominated, whereas teenager had ligament rupture associated with low-energy trauma and physeal injury with high-energy trauma.     

Fractures of the intercondylar eminence in children and adolescents

The treatment of choice of completely dislocated fractures of the intercondylar eminence is controversial. Recently, Zifko and Gaudernak [14] introduced a new classification in which they distinguish between two different types of intercondylar fractures:

Epidemiology of knee injuries in children

We analyzed 91 consecutive metaphyseal fractures, physeal injuries, and ligament ruptures in children aged 0-14 years. In the younger children, metaphyseal fractures dominated, whereas teenager had ligament rupture associated with low-energy trauma and physeal injury with high-energy trauma.     

Closed reduction/percutaneous fixation of tibial plateau fractures: arthroscopic versus fluoroscopic control of reduction.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate arthroscopic versus fluoroscopic reduction and percutaneous fixation of lateral tibial plateau fractures of AO/OTA Types 41.B1 to 41.B3. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTION: One hundred sixty-eight patients underwent operative treatment for a tibial plateau fracture from 1988 to 1995. Thirty-three of these patients had monocondylar fractures of the lateral plateau that were treated by percutaneous reduction and fixation techniques. In the first ten cases, arthroscopic control of reduction was used. The following twenty-three consecutive cases were treated by reduction and fixation solely under fluoroscopic control. The arthroscopy group was followed for a mean of fifty-two months and the fluoroscopy group for thirty-eight months. RESULTS: Nine of ten cases of the arthroscopy group had an excellent or good result in Rasmussen's knee score at follow-up. One patient with an unreduced anterolateral depression zone despite arthroscopic surgery required a total knee prosthesis after eighteen months. Sixteen cases in the fluoroscopy group met the follow-up criteria. Fifteen were graded good or excellent in Rasmussen's clinical score; sixteen were excellent or good in the radiological score. One patient claimed chronic medial joint line pain after a lateral split fracture and had arthroscopy revealing chondral degeneration on the medial side but had no pathological findings in the lateral compartment. No secondary meniscus or ligament surgery was performed in the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous treatment of fractures of the tibial plateau can be performed using arthroscopy as well as image intensification to control reduction of the joint surface. We were not able to demonstrate any significant benefit from arthroscopy compared with fluoroscopic reduction. Reduction under image intensification is technically easier in our practice, especially in serial fractures and multiply injured patients. We reserve arthroscopy for cases with significant ligament injuries and for children with fractures of the median eminence.     

The anatomy of tibial eminence fractures: arthroscopic observations following failed closed reduction

BACKGROUND: Failed manipulative reduction of avulsion fractures of the tibial insertion of the anterior cruciate ligament has been attributed to interposition of soft tissues, particularly the anterior horn of the medial meniscus. The objectives of the present report were (1) to show that the failure to reduce Meyers and McKeever type-III tibial eminence fractures was not due to interposition of soft tissues and (2) to discuss the relevance of the finding that the anterior third of the lateral meniscus was attached to the avulsed anterior cruciate ligament insertion site in all patients studied. METHODS: Twelve patients who had had a failed manipulative reduction of a type-III tibial eminence fracture underwent arthroscopic reduction and fixation of the avulsed fragment. RESULTS: A number of consistent findings were noted. The avulsed intercondylar eminence was displaced superiorly into the intercondylar notch. Attached to this fragment was not only the anterior cruciate ligament, but also, in all cases, the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus. The anterior third of the lateral meniscus had been torn from its tibial attachment and displaced together with the osseous fragment into the intercondylar notch. No interposition of bone or soft tissue was observed. Reduction of the osseous fragment was facilitated by traction on, or sutures passed around, the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus. Standard fixation methods were utilized. CONCLUSIONS: The concept that avulsion fractures of the tibial insertion of the anterior cruciate ligament cannot be reduced by manipulation because of soft-tissue interposition was not supported by the findings of the present study. The attachment of the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus to the avulsed tibial insertion of the anterior cruciate ligament may not be an irrelevant incidental finding. The observation that the displaced osseous fragment was attached simultaneously to the anterior cruciate ligament and to the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus, both pulling in different directions, may explain why type-III tibial eminence fractures are irreducible by manipulation.     

Ligament injuries associated with physeal fractures about the knee

A retrospective study of 29 cases of epiphyseal plate fractures about the knee revealed 14 patients with ligament instability at follow-up evaluation an average of 66 months after injury. Distal femoral physeal fractures had occurred in 16 of the 29 patients. Six of these patients had ligament insufficiency, which was recognized by positive anterior drawer and Lachman tests in all six and laxity to valgus stress in one. Proximal tibial physeal fractures were noted in 13 of the 29 patients. Eight of these patients had ligament laxity; anterior drawer and Lachman tests were positive in five, and laxity with valgus stress was present in four patients. It is concluded that because 14 of 29 patients (48%) had ligament insufficiency at follow-up evaluation, physeal fracture about the knee does not exclude ligament damage and, in fact, is associated with a high incidence of ligament injury. Furthermore, a complex proximal tibial physeal fracture associated with medial collateral ligament rupture is described for the first time. This resulted in medial collateral ligament insufficiency, genu valgus, and early degenerative changes. A treatment plan of primary ligament repair, fracture reduction, and follow-up evaluation to skeletal maturity is suggested for this unique fracture.     

Volar A1 pulley approach for fixation of avulsion fractures of the base of the proximal phalanx

Avulsion fractures of the base of the proximal phalanx associated with collateral ligament instability, excluding the thumb, are relatively rare. While the indications for surgical intervention vary, dorsal approaches have been advocated despite the volar location of the fracture fragment and orientation of the collateral ligaments. Ten patients with 11 avulsion fractures at the base of the proximal phalanx associated with collateral ligament instability were treated with open reduction and internal fixation using a volar A1 pulley approach. Anatomic restoration of the articular surface and collateral ligament stability were obtained in all patients. All fractures healed between 5 and 9 weeks (average, 6 weeks). After an average 19.4-month follow-up period all patients had full range of motion of the metacarpophalangeal joint, collateral ligament stability, and grip strength of at least 90% of the uninjured hand. No perioperative complications occurred. The average DASH score at last follow-up examination was 1.8 (range, 0-6). All patients were satisfied with the outcome of surgery. The volar A1 pulley approach is a direct and effective approach for reduction and fixation of avulsion fractures of the base of the proximal phalanx associated with collateral ligament instability.     

Internal fixation of capitellar fractures using Herbert screws: a report of four cases

Four patients with displaced fractures of the capitellum (capitulum humeri) were treated by open reduction and internal fixation using Herbert screws. The mean follow-up was 16 months (range from 12 to 21 months). All fractures united without evidence of avascular necrosis. Postoperatively, the range of motion was excellent, except in one patient who had a comminuted open fracture and other injuries. Three cadaveric dissections demonstrated that the Herbert screw could be inserted without detaching the lateral collateral ligament. The Herbert screw is useful in treating displaced capitellar fractures since the jig maintains the reduction and the screw, compressing the fracture site, is buried beneath the articular cartilage and does not have to be removed.     

Compartment syndrome following intramedullary fixation of pediatric forearm fractures

This study was designed to evaluate the incidence of compartment syndrome (CS) resulting from the treatment of both-bone forearm fractures in children. A retrospective analysis of 285 consecutive children who presented with both-bone forearm fractures was performed. Of 235 closed injuries, 205 were treated with closed reduction and casting; none of these patients developed CS. Thirty of the closed injuries were treated with closed reduction and intramedullary fixation; three of these patients (10%) developed CS. Fifty patients sustained open fractures and were treated with debridement and open reduction with intramedullary pinning; CS developed in three of these patients (6%). The eighty patients treated with intramedullary fixation had an increased incidence of CS compared with the 205 patients treated with closed reduction and casting (P < 0.001). Within the group of patients who had surgery, patients with longer operative times and more use of intraoperative fluoroscopy were at higher risk of developing CS.     

Bilateral fracture of the pedicle of the second cervical vertebra in the young child

We report the cases of five children, six to eighteen months old, who had bilateral fracture of the pedicles of the second cervical vertebra. The children were treated with gentle cervical traction in mild extension or were maintained in near-anatomical reduction in a Minerva jacket or halo cast. The fractures united in four patients. One patient underwent fusion to stabilize the spine.     

胫骨平台骨折合并周围韧带损伤治疗探讨

目的 分析胫骨平台骨折术后随访病例膝关节稳定性的变化，探讨胫骨平台骨折合并周围韧带损伤的发生率及早期诊断和处理措施。方法 对2000年1月～2003年6月期间在我院治疗的不同类型胫骨平台骨折进行回顾，对有随访的57例良好复位的平台骨折病例膝关节稳定度进行分析。结果 随访6个月～2.5年，平均15个月，未见明显膝关节不稳现象，总结出本组病例膝关节稳定性良好的原因：①胫骨平台骨折合并周围韧带损伤发生率低；②胫骨平台骨折合并韧带损伤程度轻；③解剖复位及坚强内固定；④术后良好制动及正确的康复训练指导。结论 胫骨平台骨折合并周围韧带完全断裂的发生率较低，韧带不全损伤非手术治疗可获得良好疗效。     

Management of femur shaft fracture in the growth age with the fixateur externe

Non-operative management is still the treatment of choice today for femoral shaft fractures in children. Indications for operative intervention would include: - the child with multiple injuries, particularly with severe head injuries, in those patients with severe soft tissue damage associated with the fracture; in cases where the reduction is difficult to maintain, as in subtrochanteric fractures; and in children who are not suitable for management with traction. Since 1984, 16 children have had their femoral shaft fractures stabilized by external fixation (Monofixateur) here in the Trauma Department of the Hannover Medical School. The mean age of the patients was 10.3 years (seven to sixteen years). All cases were closed fractures with mild or moderate soft tissue damage. Eleven of the patients had a multiple injury, and four had subtrochanteric fractures. The external fixation remained in place for a mean of 63 days in those patients exclusively treated by this method. In four of the earlier cases there was a Schanz's screw infection and three of these required removal of the external fixation and treatment in a hip spica. After modifying the technique of Schanz's screw insertion, no further infections were seen. Fourteen of the sixteen children were reviewed, with a mean follow up of 21.7 months. None of the children who had been completely managed by this fixation had any clinically relevant malalignment. Six cases had leg lengthening of up to two centimetres. Leg length differences were seen more frequently and more severely in those cases where external fixation was delayed.     

Functional outcome of arthroscopic assisted fixation of distal radius fractures

Background:

Many studies in literature have supported the role of wrist arthroscopy as an adjunct to the stable fixation of unstable intraarticular distal radial fractures. This article focuses on the surgical technique, indications, advantages, and results using wrist arthroscopy to assess articular reduction and evaluates the treatment of carpal ligament injuries and triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injuries in conjunction with the stable fixation of distal radial fractures.

Materials and Methods:

We retrospectively evaluated 27 patients (16 males and 11 females), who underwent stable fixation of intraarticular distal radial fractures with arthroscopic evaluation of the articular reduction and repair of associated carpal injuries. As per the AO classification, they were 9 C 1, 12 C2, 2 C3, 3 B 1, and 1 B2 fractures. The final results were evaluated by modified Mayo wrist scoring system. The average age was 41 years (range: 18-68 years). The average followup was of 26 months (range 24-52 months).

Results:

Five patients needed modification of the reduction and fixation after arthroscopic joint evaluation. Associated ligament lesions found during the wrist arthroscopy were TFCC tears (n=17), scapholunate ligament injury (n=8), and luno-triquetral ligament injury (n=1). Five patients had combined injuries i.e. included TFCC tear, scapholunate and/or lunotriquetral ligament tear. There were 20 excellent, 3 good, and 4 fair results using this score.

Conclusion:

The radiocarpal and mid carpal arthroscopy is a useful adjunct to stable fixation of distal radial fractures.