STABILITY OF THE ELEVATED FRAGMENT IN TIBIAL PLATEAU FRACTURES - A RADIOGRAPHIC STEREOPHOTOGRAMMETRIC STUDY OF POSTOPERATIVE HEALING

Five cases of fracture of the lateral tibial condyle of the split-depr ession type were treated by elevation of the depressed fragment, bone grafting and cancellous bone screws. During the operation, tantalum ma rkers were inserted into the depressed fragment and the tibial metaphy sis for radiographic stereophotogrammetric analysis. Postoperatively a plaster cast was applied for one month and weightbearing was not allo wed for 3 months. In three cases, a depression of the elevated fragmen t, at the most 2.8 mm, recurred during the first month after operation . This was not considered to be significant and more aggressive postop erative mobilisation may be warranted.