Aim: The study aims to describe a less invasive technique for displaced tibial intercondylar eminence fractures, using only one bone tunnel with suture anchor and EndoButton system.
Methods: Seventeen patients were followed up after arthroscopic fixation for tibial eminence fractures using suture anchor and EndoButton. The patients were followed with clinical examinations such as Lysholm, Tegner, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) rating scales. Radiographic assessments were also performed during the follow-up for evaluating the healing of the fracture.
Results: There were 14 male patients and 3 female patients with 10 right knees, and 7 left knees included. All the fractures healed anatomically at final follow-up. Also, no clinical signs of anterior cruciate ligament deficiency were detected. The mean Lysholm score improved significantly from 74.72 ± 3.24 (range from 70 to 79) to 96.2 ± 2.54 (range from 89 to 98) ( p < 0.001). The IKDC category was abnormal or severely abnormal preoperatively and all the patients improved to normal or nearly normal at final follow-up. The Tegner score also improved significantly postoperatively from 3.45 ± 1.02 to 6.34 ± 1.22 ( p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the procedure is safe and effective, which can be another option for tibial intercondylar eminence fractures.
Keywords: Arthroscopy; Displaced tibial intercondylar eminence fractures; EndoButton system; Suture anchor.