ABSTRACT
Tibial plateau fractures constitute 1% of all fractures. Bicondylar fractures account for 10-30%, whereas isolated medial and lateral plateau injuries account for the remaining injuries. Although only 3% of these fractures are open injuries, many of them have closed degloving, deep abrasions or severe soft-tissue injuries which require careful consideration in deciding the timing and nature of surgery.1
Tibial plateau fractures have a bimodal age distribution. In young individuals with strong bones, these fractures follow high-energy injuries and are often split fractures with associated ligamentous disruption. In elderly patients with osteopenic bone, these may occur after a simple fall. Here depression and split depression fractures are common without any ligamentous injury.
