Background: Tibial spine avulsion fractures (TSAFs) account for approximately 14% of anterior cruciate ligament injuries. This study aims to systematically review the current evidence for the operative management of paediatric TSAFs.
Methods: A search was carried out across four databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Studies discussing the outcomes of the surgical management of paediatric TSAFs since 2000 were included.
Results: Of 38 studies included for review, 13 studies reported outcomes of TSAF patients undergoing screw fixation only, and 12 studies used suture fixation only. In total, 976 patients underwent arthroscopic reduction and internal fixation (ARIF), and 203 patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). The risk of arthrofibrosis with the use of ARIF (p = 0.45) and screws (p = 0.74) for TSAF repair was not significant. There was a significantly increased risk of knee instability (p < 0.0001), reoperation (p = 0.01), and post-operative pain (p = 0.007) with screw fixation compared to sutures.
Conclusions: While the overall benefits of sutures over screws and ARIF over ORIF are unclear, there is clear preference for ARIF and suture fixation for TSAF repair in practice. We recommend large-scale comparative studies to delineate long-term outcomes for various TSAF fixation techniques.
Keywords: arthroscopy; paediatric fracture; tibial spine avulsion.