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Transitional fractures of the distal tibia
Annelie M Weinberg1, M Jablonski, C Castellani
1University of Heidelberg, Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, Schlierbacher Landstr. 200a, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany.
Injury
|June 28, 2005
Summary
Transitional distal tibia fractures in children show good outcomes regardless of surgical or non-surgical treatment. Most patients retain full sports ability and ankle range of motion, with minimal long-term complications observed.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Traumatology
Background:
- Transitional fractures of the distal tibia are common in pediatric patients.
- Assessing long-term outcomes is crucial for treatment planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the outcomes of treating transitional fractures of the distal tibia.
- To identify the incidence of growth disturbances, osteoarthritis, and sports activity restrictions post-treatment.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective multicenter study of 72 patients.
- Clinical and radiographic evaluations performed an average of 7.4 years post-treatment.
- Comparison between non-operative (20 patients) and operative (30 patients) treatment groups.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in outcomes between non-operative and operative groups.
- No reported impairment of sports activities or significant decrease in ankle range of motion.
- Low incidence of radiographic findings like osteophytes or joint space narrowing; no axial deviations.
Conclusions:
- Both surgical and conservative management yield good to very good intermediate- to long-term outcomes for transitional distal tibia fractures.
- Operative treatment is not universally indicated for non-displaced fractures.
- Minimal risk of axial deviations due to the physis's limited growth potential.