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Minimally invasive and open surgical treatment of proximal tibia fractures using a polyaxial locking plate system: a prospective multi-centre study

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a polyaxial locking plate of the latest generation (NCB PT®, Zimmer Inc.) which can be applied both open and minimally invasively, can be used as a routine method of treatment for proximal tibia fractures.

Methods

Eighty-six patients (35 women, 51 men; mean age 51 years) were enrolled in this prospective multicentre trial. Ninety-six percent of the fractures were intra-articular (AO type B and C); 36 % were treated open and 64 % minimally invasively. Follow-up was obtained three, six and 12 months after surgery.

Results

No implant failure occurred. At 12 months, the functional result using a knee-specific score was good to excellent in 95 %, and 99 % of the fractures were radiologically healed.

Conclusion

The system is a versatile implant for proximal tibia fracture treatment. Polyaxiality and a specific locking mechanism are compatible with different fracture patterns. The minimally invasive technique effectively protects soft tissues but should not be performed at the expense of fracture reduction. Early functional results and complication rate are comparable to those in the literature.

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Conflict of interest

The institutions received financial reimbursement from Zimmer, Inc. for conducting this follow-up. None of the authors received financial reimbursement or anything of value for conducting this follow-up. The last author is an instructional lecturer for trauma courses at the Zimmer Institute™.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Trauma, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 80981, Ulm, Germany

    Jens A. Jöckel, Florian Gebhard & Götz Röderer

  2. Orthopaedic Surgery, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Johannes Erhardt & Miscia Vincenti

  3. Orthopaedic Trauma, BGU Frankfurt, Frankfurt a.M., Germany

    Jörg Reissig & Reinhard Hoffmann

  4. Orthopaedic Trauma, Essen University, Essen, Germany

    Baher Husain

  5. Orthopaedic Trauma, Kempten Hospital, Kempten, Germany

    Gert Täger

  6. Orthopaedic Trauma, Diakoniekrankenhaus Friederikenstift, Hannover, Germany

    Axel Partenheimer & Helmut Lill

Authors
  1. Jens A. Jöckel
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  2. Johannes Erhardt
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  3. Miscia Vincenti
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  4. Jörg Reissig
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  5. Reinhard Hoffmann
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  6. Baher Husain
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  7. Gert Täger
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  8. Axel Partenheimer
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  9. Helmut Lill
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  10. Florian Gebhard
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  11. Götz Röderer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Götz Röderer.

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Jöckel, J.A., Erhardt, J., Vincenti, M. et al. Minimally invasive and open surgical treatment of proximal tibia fractures using a polyaxial locking plate system: a prospective multi-centre study. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 37, 701–708 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-1820-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-1820-x

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