Arthroscopic Fixation for Tibial Eminence Fractures: Comparison of Double-Row and Transosseous Anchor Knot Fixation Techniques with Suture Anchors

BACKGROUND: Tibial eminence fractures often occur during sports participation, but the optimum choice of technique for treatment is still controversial. The aim of the current work was to compare the clinical outcomes of 2 new arthroscopic anchor fixation techniques for tibial eminence fracture. MATERIAL/METHODS: We included 72 isolated tibial eminence fracture patients treated at our hospital from October 2010 to August 2015; 37 patients received the classic double-row (DR) suture anchor fixation technique and 35 received the transosseous anchor knot (TAK) fixation under arthroscopy. The clinical efficacies of the 2 techniques were assessed by radiographs, Lysholm score, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score in follow-ups. RESULTS: Patients were followed for 37.6 months (range, 18–54 months). There was no significant difference of the operative time between groups (P=0.169). Postoperative radiographs of all patients showed accurate reduction and fracture healing within 3 months. Lysholm and IKDC scores improved significantly compared with preoperative scores (P<0.001). However, no significant difference in the knee range of motion or improvement of Lysholm and IKDC scores was found between groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The DR and TAK techniques provide precise reduction and stable fixation methods for treating tibial eminence fractures, and the clinical outcomes of the 2 arthroscopic techniques with suture anchors are satisfactory.