Tibial Plateau Fracture
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident lawyer. There are two different bones that work together to make up the bottom half of the leg. The larger bone is called the tibia and is prone to developing a fracture.
What is a Tibial Plateau Fracture?
The tibia is significantly larger than the other bone in the lower leg, called the fibula. The tibia is slightly curved at the bottom and extends up via a shaft. At the top of the shaft is the tibial plateau. If the tibia develops a bone fracture at the plateau, this is called a tibia plateau fracture. Thus has significant impacts on a patient’s ability to use their leg effectively.
Mechanism of Injury
A patient who has developed a tibial plateau fracture typically does so through a traumatic injury. Many people break their tibial plateau in high energy events, such as a bicycle accident or a pedestrian injury. Other examples of high energy events include motor vehicle accidents or sports. People can also break their tibial plateau in low energy events such as a pathological fracture from osteoporosis, although this typically occurs only in older people.
Treatment of a Tibial Plateau Fracture
Like most bone fractures, patients are going to require imaging of their extremities first. This will help to identify the finial plateau injury and look for other fractures. After this, most patients will be placed in a cast to keep the leg still. This will give the plateau time to correct the fracture in the leg.
Complications may Occur
One of the most significant comorbidities that a patient can suffer is an inability to walk. The tibial plateau is responsible for the articulation between the tibia and the leg. Damage to this plateau can impair the function and connection between the leg and the knee.
Other Structures are at Risk
When a patient has damaged their tibial plateau, there are other body parts that are vulnerable. Examples include the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments (ACL and PCL) that provide stability to the knee. Another structure is the thick thigh bone, termed the femur. These must be examined with any tibia injury.
If there is concern that a patient has a tibial plateau fracture, there are a few other possible diagnoses. These include:
- Fracture of a malleolus
- Fibula fracture
- Femoral Shaft Fracture
- Fractures of the ankle
- Kneecap fracture
- Fracture of the tibial shaft
The prognosis of a patient with this fracture will depend on the age and mechanism of the fracture. Younger patients generally make a faster and fuller recovery than their older counterparts.
Surgery is Possible
If the plateau has been displaced or if ligaments are torn then a patient will require surgery to make these repairs and improve their potential for a complete recovery.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
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