Knee Fractures

About Fractures

Fractures in the area of the knee may involve the distal femur, femoral condyles, tibia plateau and proximal tibia. These fractures can be complex and can have long term consequences if not treated appropriately. These fractures if incorrectly treated can result in deformity and malalignment of the lower extremity, posttraumatic arthritis of the knee, knee stiffness, persistent gait alteration and chronic pain.

The Procedure

The recommended course of treatment may consist of nonsurgical intervention with casting, protected weight bearing and bracing or surgical intervention. Surgical intervention is indicated with displaced and/or unstable fracture patterns, intrarticular fractures with disruption of the joint surface. The goal of surgical intervention in these cases is restoration of the normal skeletal anatomy with a smooth and congruent joint surface and to maintain this physical relationship between the fractured fragments with rigid internal fixation during the time until bone union so that joint motion may be instituted early in an effort to prevent/minimize the occurrence of knee stiffness and muscle atrophy.

At Regional Orthopedics we have mastered the techniques and surgical implants that are available to achieve these goals.