Is It Necessary To Add Soft Tissue Injury to the Classification in Tibial Plateau Fracture Management?

Background A gold standard classification for the treatment of tibial plateau fractures with soft tissue injury has not been established yet. This study aimed to evaluate the usability of a novel modified classification that can provide preoperative information to the surgeon about soft tissue injuries in tibial plateau fractures. Methodology A total of 36 patients with tibial plateau fractures were included in the study. Patients' age, gender, and affected sides were recorded. Injuries to the medial meniscus, lateral meniscus, anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, and lateral collateral ligament were examined with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Soft tissue injuries were arranged according to the novel modified classification based on the Schatzker classification. Results The mean age of the study participants was 45 (19-76) years; 72% of the patients were men and 28% were women. Moreover, 44% and 56% of the patients had broken the right and left tibial plateaus, respectively. At least one soft tissue injury was detected in 29 (81%) patients. In 14 (39%) patients, two or more soft tissue injuries were observed. All patients were arranged according to the novel modified classification regarding ligament and meniscus injuries. Conclusions With this novel modified classification system, we think that having better information about the preoperative condition of the soft tissue injuries can change the surgical strategy in patients with tibial plateau fractures.