Clinical and radiological outcomes of arthroscopically assisted cannulated screw fixation for tibial eminence fracture in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and complications of arthroscopically assisted reduction and fixation with cannulated screws for tibial eminence fracture in skeletally immature patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective case series study. Forty-eight patients who were skeletally immature at the time of tibial eminence fracture were treated in a tertiary children’s hospital between May 2004 and August 2015. Twenty-one patients were excluded due to non-operative treatment (n = 10), other surgical treatments (n = 9), multiple fracture (n = 1), and follow-up < 1 year (n = 1). Twenty-seven knees of 27 patients were analyzed. Avulsed fragment was reduced arthroscopically. One to three cannulated screws (4.0 mm or 5.0 mm in diameter) were used for fixation. Passive knee motion was started in 3–4 weeks. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by Lysholm score, instability of the knee, and complications. Radiological outcomes including nonunion and malunion of the avulsed fragment and physeal growth disturbance were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean age at the time of surgery was 10.1 years (range, 6.2 to 13.8 years). Patients were followed up for a mean of 3.9 years (range, 1.0 to 7.6 years). Fracture types included type III (n = 13), type II (n = 12), and type IV (n = 2) according to Zaricznyj modification of Meyers and McKeever classification. Meniscus was entrapped in five patients. Six patients showed concomitant meniscal tear. Mean Lysholm score at the latest follow-up was 95 (range, 78 to 100). Joint instability was not observed in any patient except one (instability of 5–10 mm). All patients showed full range of knee motion except one (10 degrees of flexion contracture). Screw head impingement against intercondylar notch of the femur was observed in two patients during screw removal procedure. Five knees showed prominent tibial eminence without symptoms. The injured lower limb was longer than the contralateral normal side by a mean of 6.2 mm (range, − 4 to 18 mm). CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopically assisted reduction and fixation with cannulated screws is an effective and safe surgical option for treating tibial eminence fracture with few complications.