Treatment of distal tibia end fractures by minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis

Aim: Distal tibia fractures are common in daily accidents such as traffic, work, and sports accidents. There are various treatment methods for that injury, such as casting, external fixation, and AO screw and plate fixation. However, in the cases of distal tibia fractures occurred near the ankle joint with damaged soft tissues near the fractures, minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis using the locking compression plate is a suitable fixation method. This study aimed to evaluate the bone union, functional rehabilitation, and assessment of complications of treatment of distal tibia fractures by minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis in 7A Military Hospital. Material and Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed on 38 patients with distal tibia fractures treated from October 2014 to October 2019 in our hospital. Patients were treated with internal fixation using minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis with locking compression plate, and they were monitored for bone fusion for functional rehabilitation, and the complications were evaluated. Results: The average monitor time was 12.5 months after the operation and the outcomes were assessed based on the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score, as a result of which 24 cases (63.2%) were "very good" 10 cases (26.3%) were "good" and 4 cases (10.5%) were "fair". Discussion: Minimal invasive plate osteosynthesis provided both postoperative and rehabilitation generally satisfied outcomes. The results were comparable to other authors. Further researches with a larger sample size are needed for better evaluation and optimal protocol conclusion. Conclusion: Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis was a suitable method for the treatment of distal tibia fractures as indirect reduction technique and small incision reduce damages on soft tissues during the operation.