Arthroscopy-Assisted Surgery for Tibial Plateau Fractures

Purpose This study aimed to summarize the recent clinical outcomes of patients undergoing arthroscopy-assisted reduction and internal fixation (ARIF) for tibial plateau fractures. Methods A systematic electronic search of the PubMed and Cochrane databases was performed in January 2014. All English-language clinical studies on tibial plateau fractures treated with ARIF that were published after January 1, 2000 were eligible for inclusion. Basic information related to the surgery was collected. Results The search criteria initially identified 141 articles, and 19 studies were included in this systematic review. There were 2 retrospective comparative studies, 16 case series studies, and one clinical series based on a technique note. There were a total of 609 patients in this systematic review, with a mean follow-up time of 52.5 months. The most common fracture types were Schatzker types II and III. Concomitant injuries were common: 42.2% of the patients had meniscal injuries, and 21.3% had anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. In addition, the status of 90.5% of the patients was classified as good or excellent according to the clinical Rasmussen scoring system, and 90.9% of the patients were satisfied with the treatment. Only 6 severe complications were reported, including one case of compartment syndrome. Conclusions ARIF is a reliable, effective, and safe method for the treatment of tibial plateau fractures, especially when they present with concomitant injuries. Level of Evidence Level IV, systematic review of Level III and Level IV studies.