Background: Inappropriate treatment of growth plate injury may cause complications such as malunion or early arrest of the growth plate. Identification of intra-articular lesions is mandatory in patients with a growth plate injury of the distal tibia. Arthroscopic assessment is useful in identifying intra-articular injury. We report three cases of intra-articular growth plate injury of the distal tibia that were treated via internal fixation with arthroscopic assessment in our hospital.
Materials and methods: All three cases were performed pre- and postoperative arthroscopic assessment and open reduction and internal fixation with a cannulated cancellous screw (CCS; Meira, Japan). All patients were then examined for postoperative complications, functional recovery, at the end of the final follow-up consultation.
Results: Intraoperatively, a small cartilage injury was found in the non-fracture area in two cases; the remaining case had a reversed cartilage fragment at the talus, which was arthroscopically removed.
Conclusions: Arthroscopic assessment followed by internal fixation is a useful minimally invasive method for the identification of intra-articular lesions such as osteochondral injury or free bodies.
Keywords: Ankle arthroscopy; Distal tibia; Growth plate injury; Tillaux fracture.