The results of surgical management of displaced tibial plateau fractures in the elderly.

We retrospectively reviewed 32 elderly patients (mean age 71.7 years, range 66-83 years) with displaced tibial plateau fractures after a mean of 3.7 years (range 1-7 years) after operative treatment. Schatzker type 2 fracture was the commonest pattern of fracture (60.3 per cent). According to the modified Rasmussen clinical and radiographic criteria, there were nine excellent, 14 good, five fair and four poor results clinically, and 11 excellent, 12 good, six fair and three poor results radiographically. There was no significant correlation between the final radiographic appearance and clinical outcome. Fourteen patients mobilized postoperatively on a continuous passive motion machine followed by a cast brace had a better result than those mobilized in a cast brace alone, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.29). Postoperative complications included deep vein thrombosis in two patients.