Posterior coronal plating for tibial fractures: technique and advantages

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Traumatology

Background:

• Tibial shaft fractures with associated soft tissue injury or complex comminution present treatment challenges.
• Standard fixation methods may be complicated by the fracture pattern or soft tissue compromise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the technique of posterior coronal plating for complex tibial shaft fractures.
• To evaluate the advantages of this approach in terms of fixation and patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 12 patients with tibial shaft fractures treated with posterior coronal plating.
• Use of 4.5 mm broad dynamic compression plates between July 2008 and June 2011.

Main Results:

• Average bony consolidation and full weight bearing achieved in 21.7 weeks.
• No loss of reduction or alignment observed at 1-year follow-up.
• High patient satisfaction with functional scores averaging 72.8.

Conclusions:

• The direct posterior approach in prone position facilitates visualization and rigid fixation of complex tibial fractures.
• This technique offers advantages over standard medial or lateral plating, including reduced soft tissue and hardware complications.