[Study of the correlation between early and late changes in the roentgenologic and functional status following conservative and surgical treatment of the head of the tibia]

Abstract

Between 1976 and 1980 161 patients were admitted to our department with condylar fractures of the tibia. 60% of the patients were treated conservatively, 40% underwent surgery. The patients follow-up was analysed three to seven years after therapy and an examination of a representative group of patients was performed 1983. A direct comparison of therapeutic results between the conservative and operative treatment groups is not possible, since fractures with a particularly poor prognoses including depression and impression fractures of the articular surface were more frequent in the operative treatment group. It is noteworthy, however, that the patients' activity at work and in their leisure time was increased in the operative group. Additionally in this group the remaining complaints were less and the final results more favourable according to the patients' self-judgment. Unchanged irregularities of the joint surface following initial therapy were found in 40.5% of conservatively treated patients and in 6.9% of operated patients respectively. At the time of reassessment, however, differences of radiological findings could not be seen between the two treatment groups. Whereas in the conservative treatment group a difference in length of the two legs of 2 cm or more were observed in 16% of cases, not a single case was found in the operative treatment group. There was a correlation of the functional and the result of the radiological examination, although considerable exceptions from this correlation were also seen. Therefore it is not possible from the individual X-ray findings to predict the functional results of the patient.