Arthroscopic-assisted removal of proximal tibia locking plates

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Arthroscopy

Background:

• Hardware removal is often necessary after proximal tibia fracture fixation.
• Traditional open hardware removal can lead to significant morbidity.
• Minimally invasive techniques aim to reduce surgical trauma and improve outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel arthroscopic-assisted technique for proximal tibia plate removal.
• To evaluate the feasibility and initial outcomes of this minimally invasive approach.
• To assess the potential for treating concurrent intra-articular pathologies during hardware removal.

Main Methods:

• Development and description of a new arthroscopic technique for proximal tibia plate removal.
• Application of the technique in a small cohort of patients (n=7).
• Pre- and post-operative assessment of functional outcomes using the Lysholm score.

Main Results:

• The arthroscopic-assisted technique was successfully performed in all cases.
• All patients demonstrated an increase in their Lysholm score post-operatively.
• Pre-operative median Lysholm score was 78, improving to a post-operative median of 89.
• The technique allowed for the management of concomitant intra-articular issues.

Conclusions:

• Arthroscopic-assisted hardware removal from the proximal tibia is a feasible and effective technique.
• This minimally invasive approach offers advantages over traditional open surgery.
• The technique shows promising functional improvements and can be recommended for surgeons proficient in arthroscopy.