Physeal injuries of the distal tibia: long-term results in 376 patients

Int Orthop. 2010 Apr;34(4):547-52. doi: 10.1007/s00264-009-0851-9. Epub 2009 Aug 7.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate our treatment of distal tibial physeal injuries retrospectively and explain the relationship between the trauma mechanism, the radiographic injury pattern, the subsequent therapy and the functional outcome, as well as to further deduce and verify prognostic criteria. At the Department of Trauma Surgery, Vienna Medical University, 419 children and adolescent patients with physeal injuries of the distal tibia were treated from 1993 to 2007, of these 376 were included in our study and evaluated retrospectively. Seventy-seven displaced physeal fractures of the distal tibia were reconstructed anatomically by open or closed reduction and produced 95% excellent results. A perfect anatomical reduction, if necessary by open means, should be achieved to prevent a bone bridge with subsequent epiphysiodesis and post-traumatic deformities due to growth inhibition and/or retardation.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Ankle Injuries / complications
  • Ankle Injuries / diagnostic imaging
  • Ankle Injuries / therapy*
  • Bone Screws
  • Bone Wires
  • Casts, Surgical
  • Child
  • External Fixators
  • Female
  • Fracture Fixation, Internal / methods
  • Fracture Healing / physiology
  • Growth Plate / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications / prevention & control
  • Prognosis
  • Radiography
  • Recovery of Function
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Salter-Harris Fractures*
  • Tibial Fractures / complications
  • Tibial Fractures / diagnostic imaging
  • Tibial Fractures / therapy*
  • Trauma Severity Indices
  • Treatment Outcome