The role of arthroscopy in articular fracture management: the lower limb

European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology volume 25, pages807–813(2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

The management of articular fracture is always a matter of concern. While each articular fracture is different from one another, besides the classification system used and the surgical or non-surgical indication given by the specialist, main goals remain the same: anatomical reduction, stable fixation, loose body removal, and minimal invasiveness. Open procedures are the actual compromise, but unfortunately, it is not always possible to perfectly meet every treatment goal, associated lesions could pass unnoticed or delayed in treatment, and even in a best-case scenario, there could be several complications developing in the long term. In the last decades, arthroscopic joint surgery underwent an exponential evolution, expanding its application also in the trauma field with the development of arthroscopic and arthroscopically assisted reduction and internal fixation (ARIF) techniques; main advantages are an accurate diagnosis of fracture and associated soft tissue involvement, the potential for concomitant treatments, anatomical reduction, and minimal invasiveness. ARIF techniques have been applied to treat fractures affecting several joints: shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. The purpose of this paper was to provide a review of the most recent literature about arthroscopic and arthroscopically assisted reduction and internal fixation for articular and periarticular fractures of the lower limb, analyzing the results and suggesting clinical applications.

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Conflict of interest

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Affiliations

  1. Clinical Orthopaedics, Department of Clinical and Molecular Science, School of Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Tronto, 10/A, 60126, Ancona, Italy

    Luca Dei Giudici, Francesca Di Muzio, Carlo Bottegoni & Antonio Gigante

  2. Department of Orthopaedics, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico (I.C.O.T.), Latina, Italy

    Claudio Chillemi

Authors
  1. Luca Dei Giudici
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  2. Francesca Di Muzio
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  3. Carlo Bottegoni
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  4. Claudio Chillemi
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  5. Antonio Gigante
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Correspondence to Luca Dei Giudici.

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Cite this article

Dei Giudici, L., Di Muzio, F., Bottegoni, C. et al. The role of arthroscopy in articular fracture management: the lower limb. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 25, 807–813 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-015-1601-x

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Keywords

  • Arthroscopy
  • Arthroscopically assisted
  • Arthroscopic reduction
  • Fracture fixation
  • Lower limb