Timing of internal fixation and effect on Schatzker IV-VI

【Abstract】Objective: To study the effect of inter-nal fixation performed at different times on therapeutic out-comes of Schatzker IV-VI tibial plateau fractures. Methods: The clinical data of 42 cases of Schatzker IV-VI tibial plateau fractures treated in our department were analyzed retrospectively. Among these 42 patients, 21 re-ceived surgical treatment within 12 h after injury (Group I), the other 21 were first treated by traction or plaster fixation followed by a delayed internal fixation after soft tissue swell-ing subsided (Group II). The surgical time, complications, length of hospital stay, cost of hospitalization, and time for fracture union, as well as functional recovery were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Results: After 10-28 months follow-up (mean 16.5 months), except 5 cases who lost to follow-up, no differ-ences were found between the two groups regarding surgi-cal time, preoperative and postoperative complications, heal-ing time or the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score at the end of follow-up, but significant differences were found in the length of hospital stay, cost of hospitalization and HSS score at 3 months after operation (P