Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42571026›Full record

ArticleJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2026

Severe medial tibial plateau fractures: feasibility and functional and radiographic results of an extended approach with medial femoral epicondyle osteotomy.

Hannah Gablac, Christian Arras, Peter Behrendt, Hendrik Fahlbusch, Clemens Galavics, Michael Hoffmann, Karl-Heinz Frosch, Matthias Krause

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Hannah Gablac *Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Musculoskeletal University Center Munich (MUM), Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-5686-1317
Christian Arras *Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-5328-4103
Peter BehrendtDepartment of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
Hendrik FahlbuschDepartment of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Clemens GalavicsDepartment of Trauma, Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Traumatology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.
Michael HoffmannDepartment of Trauma, Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Traumatology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.
Karl-Heinz FroschDepartment of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Matthias KrauseDepartment of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. m.krause@uke.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7345-6506

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThis study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of tibial plateau fractures involving the medial plateau by comparing an extended medial approach with medial femoral epicondyle osteotomy (med ECO) to a conventional approach without epicondyle osteotomy (non-ECO).

methodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted at two level one trauma-centers. All fractures of the medial tibial plateau (OA/OTA Type B or C) treated with med ECO were classified according to the AO/OTA and 10-segment classification using pre-operative CT scans. A comparative cohort study was performed against non-ECO patients based on age, sex, body mass index (BMI), injury mechanism, and fracture patterns. The quality of fracture reduction was determined by post-operative CT scans. Functional outcomes and postoperative complications were assessed over a minimum follow-up of 2 years.

resultsTwenty-nine patients (mean age: 50.2 ± 10.2 years, mean follow-up 71.65 ± 18.9 months) were analyzed. Both groups consisted of patients with severe tibial plateau fractures, knee dislocations, high-velocity trauma and polytrauma and concomitant injuries requiring an average hospital stay of 24.9 ± 12.4 days. Radiological outcomes showed a medial fracture step > 2 mm in 10 cases (med ECO n = 5, non-ECO n = 5) and a gap > 5 mm in 8 cases (med ECO n = 3, non-ECO n = 5). The mean radiological Rasmussen score was 13.8 ± 2.8 (med ECO 14.1 ± 2.8 vs. non-ECO 13.4 ± 3.0, p > 0.05). The mean Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was 60.4 ± 16.9 (med ECO 61.3 ± 12.7 vs. non-ECO 59.5 + 16.2, p > 0.05) and the International Knee Documentation Committee score (IKDC score) was 56.6 ± 16.9 (med ECO 58.8 ± 19.0 vs. non-ECO 52.6 ± 14.4, p > 0.05).

conclusionBoth med ECO and non-ECO demonstrated good radiological results. No significant differences were observed in clinical and radiological outcomes during follow-up. However, severe medial tibial plateau fractures are devastating knee injuries, being a challenge to the functional outcome of patients due to multiple concomitant injuries. Thus, medial epicondyle osteotomy should be reserved for specific fractures, considering the added morbidity and invasiveness associated with the procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective Cohort Study, Level of Evidence = III.

Indexed as

FemurOsteotomyTibial FracturesTibial Plateau FracturesAdultAgedCohort StudiesFeasibility StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesFracture Fixation, InternalHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTomography, X-Ray ComputedEpicondyleExtended medial approachFracturesOsteotomyTibia

Identifiers

PMID42571026
PMCPMC13452095

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.