ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Surg.
Sec. Orthopedic Surgery
This article is part of the Research TopicSurgical Advances in Orthopedic Trauma: A Biomechanical ApproachView all 18 articles
Joint line Rim-Plate Combined with Horizontal Belt Plate in the treatment of hyperextension tibial plateau fracture: Our Clinical and Radiological Results
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of orthopedics, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- 2Changsha Medical University, Changsha, China
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Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of combined medial and lateral approaches with horizontal belt plate fixation for treating hyperextension-type bicondylar tibial plateau fractures. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 10 patients with hyperextension-type bicondylar tibial plateau fractures treated between March 2023 and March 2024 using a combined medial-lateral approach and anterior joint line rim-plate fixation. During surgery, the infrapatellar tendon was released to create a horizontal rim-plate channel. A pre-contoured tubular locking plate was fixed anteriorly to the tibial plateau. A T-shaped main plate was placed on the medial or lateral side based on fracture patterns. Screws from medial, lateral, and anterior plates formed a "fence-like" structure. Results: All 10 patients achieved bony union with an average follow-up of 14 months. Postoperative radiographs demonstrated restored posterior tibial slope angles. The average Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score was 88.7, with knee range of motion averaging 113°. No wound complications or implant failures were observed. Conclusion: Preliminary results indicate that combined medial-lateral approaches with horizontal belt plate fixation are a safe and effective option for hyperextension-type bicondylar tibial plateau fractures. Restoration of lower limb alignment, correction of posterior tibial slope, and joint surface congruity are critical for optimal outcomes.
Keywords: Hyperextension Tibial Plateau Fracture, Joint Line Rim-Plate, medial-lateral approach, medial-lateral approaches, Locking plates
Received: 15 Oct 2025; Accepted: 30 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Gu, Ma, Zhao and Jiang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Lei Zhao, drzhaolei@163.com
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