Background: Soft tissue injuries may co-occur with tibial plateau fractures. These injuries may include medial or lateral ligament ruptures, peroneal nerve lesions, anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, and meniscus tears.
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of meniscus tears in lateral tibial plateau fractures and to evaluate the clinical and radiological results of meniscus repairs.
Materials and method: The study included 19 patients who underwent surgery for a closed lateral tibial plateau fracture. Anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of the knee, followed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations, were undertaken for all cases. The clinical and radiological evaluation of the surgical treatment results was performed according to the Rasmussen criteria.
Results: Meniscus lesions were found in 10 (52.6%) patients. Nine meniscus tears were found in patients with type 2 fractures, and one meniscus tear was found in a patient with a type 3 fracture. All of the menisci were separated from the peripheral capsule adhesion point. On the MRI examination during follow-up, all of the repaired lateral menisci were determined to be in their original anatomic location.
Conclusion: For successful outcomes in lateral plateau fractures, it is essential to determine whether there is a meniscus tear. In cases with meniscus tears, meniscus repair can be easily performed and should be considered because it has a positive impact on the treatment outcome.
Keywords: Knee joint; intra-articular fractures; menisci; tibial.