Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 13, 2025
09:01
Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis with Total Ankle Replacement Through a Lateral Transfibular Approach
Published on: January 24, 2018
12.0K
Simultaneous bilateral versus unilateral tibial tubercle fractures
Indranil Kushare1,2, Nicole Wunderlich1, Darius Dranginis1
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, 17580 Interstate 45 South, the Woodlands, Texas, 77384, USA.
Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma
|March 15, 2021
Summary
Bilateral simultaneous tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures in children lead to similar long-term outcomes but higher complication rates and initial mobility issues compared to unilateral fractures. Surgeons should consider rigid fixation for early mobilization in bilateral cases.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Pediatric trauma
- Fracture management
Background:
- Tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures are rare in pediatric patients, comprising less than 1% of physeal fractures.
- Bilateral simultaneous occurrences are exceptionally rare, with limited case reports available in existing literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the largest case series of bilateral simultaneous tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures.
- To compare these bilateral cases with unilateral fractures regarding demographics, injury mechanisms, clinical findings, complications, and outcomes.
- To compare the collected bilateral cases with all previously reported cases over the last 65 years.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of patients under 18 with tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures.
- Comparison of a bilateral simultaneous fracture group (BL Group) with an age-matched unilateral fracture group (UL Group).
- Analysis included demographic data, injury mechanisms, clinical exams, complication rates, return to function, and statistical tests (Mann-Whitney, Fisher Exact).
Main Results:
- 138 patients included; 11 bilateral (BL) and 127 unilateral (UL) fractures identified.
- No significant differences in BMI, height, weight, age, sex, injury mechanism, or return to function/sports between BL and UL groups.
- BL group had significantly higher complication rates (63.3% vs. 21.1%), including hardware removal and wound dehiscence, and experienced significant initial morbidity with an average of 8.3 weeks of being homebound.
Conclusions:
- Bilateral simultaneous tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures have similar long-term functional outcomes to unilateral fractures.
- The bilateral group experiences significantly higher complication rates and a greater need for hardware removal.
- Initial morbidity is substantial in bilateral fractures, impacting mobility and school attendance, suggesting rigid fixation for early mobilization may improve recovery.
Keywords:
Apophysis fracturePatellar tendon avulsionQuadriceps mechanism failureTibial tubercle fractureTibial tuberosity fractureMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:10Bones of the Lower Limb: Tibia and Fibula
7.1K
The tibia is the main weight-bearing bone of the lower leg. It is larger than the fibula with which it is paired. The tibia is also the second longest bone in the body and is located right below the skin. The proximal end of the tibia forms the medial and the lateral condyle, which articulates with the condyles of the femur to form the knee joint. Between the articulating surfaces is the irregular elevated area known as the intercondylar eminence that serves as the inferior attachment point for...
7.1K
01:10Ankle Joint
2.2K
The ankle is formed by the talocrural joint (crural = leg). It consists of the articulations between the talus bone of the foot and the distal ends of the tibia and fibula of the leg. The superior aspect of the talus bone is square-shaped and has three areas of articulation. The top of the talus articulates with the inferior tibia. This is the portion of the ankle joint that carries the body weight between the leg and foot. The sides of the talus are firmly held in position by the articulations...
2.2K