Posterolateral and anterolateral approaches to unicondylar posterolateral tibial plateau fractures: a comparative study.

Background: Lateral tibial plateau fractures that are located posterolaterally are difficult to reduce through an anterolateral surgical approach because of the lack of direct visualisation of the fracture. This study compared the results of unicondylar posterolateral tibial plateau fractures in two patient cohorts: one treated through a posterolateral direct approach and the other through an anterolateral indirect approach.

Patients And Methods: All nine patients admitted to our hospital, a tertiary care, urban, public hospital in Australia, from 2007 to 2010 with unicondylar posterolateral tibial plateau fractures were treated through a direct posterolateral transfibular approach and prospectively studied.

Posterolateral transfibular approach to tibial plateau fractures: technique, results, and rationale.

We describe a posterolateral transfibular neck approach to the proximal tibia. This approach was developed as an alternative to the anterolateral approach to the tibial plateau for the treatment of two fracture subtypes: depressed and split depressed fractures in which the comminution and depression are located in the posterior half of the lateral tibial condyle. These fractures have proved particularly difficult to reduce and adequately internally fix through an anterior or anterolateral approach.