Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36702926›Full record

SynthesisKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2023

Tibial tubercle fractures are sports injuries in male adolescents with a considerable risk of complications and reoperations: a systematic review.

Georgios Kalifis, Theodorakys Marin Fermin, Romain Seil, Sally Hobson, Emmanuel Papakostas, Michael Hantes

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
5.9field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 24 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. [Posterior open approach combined with suture bridge technique for tibial insertion avulsion fractures of posterior cruciate ligament].Zhongguo xiu fu chong jian wai ke za zhi = Zhongguo xiufu chongjian waike zazhi = Chinese journal of reparative and reconstructive surgery · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
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  5. [Effectiveness analysis of three internal fixation methods in treatment of avulsion fracture of tibial tubercle in adolescents].Zhongguo xiu fu chong jian wai ke za zhi = Zhongguo xiufu chongjian waike zazhi = Chinese journal of reparative and reconstructive surgery · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Adolescent Tibial Tubercle Fracture: Review of Outcomes and Complications.Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine · 2023
    Review
  11. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.

Georgios KalifisDepartment of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Hull Royal Infirmary, Anlaby Rd, Hull, HU3 2JZ, UK. giorgiokal@hotmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6528-1438
Theodorakys Marin FerminAspetar Hospital, Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Sportscity Street 1, Aspire Zone, P.O. Box 29222, Doha, Qatar.
Romain SeilSports Clinic, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg-Clinique d'Eich, 78 Rue d'Eich, 1460, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Sally HobsonDepartment of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Hull Royal Infirmary, Anlaby Rd, Hull, HU3 2JZ, UK.
Emmanuel PapakostasAspetar Hospital, Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Sportscity Street 1, Aspire Zone, P.O. Box 29222, Doha, Qatar.
Michael HantesDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
Hull Royal Infirmary · GBQatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital · QACentre Hospitalier de Luxembourg · LUUniversity Hospital of Larissa · GR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThere is growing interest in tibial tubercle fractures in pediatric and adolescent population within the last decade. However, there is limited evidence in the existing literature. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to analyze and provide up-to-date data that may prove valuable in decision making and management of these injuries in the general as well as the athletic population.

methodsA systematic review of the literature in PubMed, Cochrane library and Virtual Health Library was conducted using the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis" (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles published in English or Spanish, during the past 20 years, reporting outcomes of tibial tubercle fracture management in patients younger than 18 years old, with a mean follow-up of at least 6 months reporting outcomes, type of management and classification were included.

resultsA total of 919 patients with 956 fractures in 25 retrospective cohort studies were included. The mean age was 14.4 ± 0.6 years while 766 [83%] were males and 740 [81%] of the injuries were sports-related. Associated injuries were reported in 91[10%] cases, most common being patellar tendon avulsion. Surgical management was chosen for 845[88%] of the cases, the vast majority being open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) with screws. Union was achieved in 954 [99.8%] cases. Complications and re-operations rate stood at 172[18%] and 161 [19% of the operations], respectively. Return to play (RTP) was reported in 11 [44%] of the studies standing at an average of 98.9% ± 3.6.

conclusionEssentially, this is an adolescent sports knee injury that needs careful planning before decision making because it may affect both RTP and joint preservation. Although union was achieved in almost all patients, there is a high risk of associated injuries, complications and reoperations. The surgeon should be confident to perform fracture fixation as well as addressing associated knee soft tissue injuries to achieve optimal outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Indexed as

Athletic InjuriesTibial FracturesAdolescentChildFemaleFracture FixationFracture Fixation, InternalHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesAdolescentKneePediatricSportsTibial tubercleTibial tuberosity

Identifiers

PMID36702926
OpenAlexW4318184558

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.