Abstract
Anatomically contoured periarticular plates for treatment of proximal tibia fractures is fast becoming the standard for care. The aim of our study was to assess the accuracy of the anatomic contour of proximal lateral tibial plates of AO Stryker and Zimmer in Indian patients.
We assessed the accuracy of the anatomic contour of proximal lateral tibial plates of AO Stryker and Zimmer in 50 Indian dry tibiae. All the plates were placed on the 50 tibia by two independent surgeons according to what they felt was the best fit. The tibiae and the plate fits were mapped, quantified, and analysed using digital image capturing and adobe photoshop software. By corresponding the clinical appearance of good fit with our digital findings, we created numerical criteria for plate fit in three planes: coronal (volume of free space between the plate and bone), sagittal (alignment with the tibial plateau and shaft), and axial (match in curvature between the proximal horizontal part of the plate and the tibial plateau).
An anatomic fit should mirror the shape of the tibia in all three planes and only ten plates of different companies qualified this
Recognising and understanding the substantial variations in fit that exist between anatomically contoured plates, it might be worthwhile developing proximal tibia plates specific for the Indian population or validating this study by having a larger multicentric study group. This paper would suggest caution when these plates are used as a tool for indirect reduction of the fractures.
