Staged management of tibial plateau fractures

Careful and thorough assessment of injury severity, with particular attention paid to identifying high-energy injuries, is critical to achieving optimal outcomes and avoiding complications following tibial plateau fractures. Staged management of tibial plateau fractures refers to the use of temporizing methods of care (often spanning external fixation) in high-energy injuries, as well as delaying definitive fracture surgery until such a time as the risk of soft tissue complications is decreased. This article discusses the principles and techniques of staged management, including the use of less invasive methods for definitive stabilization.