[Roentgenologic and morphologic studies of experimental tibial-plateau fractures (author's transl)].

Experimental tibial-plateau fractures had been produced to a series of 12 knee joints of corpses. The knee-joints had been exposed to vertical pressure in an extended position. The exerted pressure and the achieved deformation had been noted down in a diagram. The following radiological and morphological examination of the specimen showed that clear impressed fractured had arrived in case of a small deformation, whereas stronger compression had always caused combinated impression and split fractures. Impressions up to a depth of 3 to 5 mm cannot be proved radiologically. A certain unknown figure must be reckoned with in cases of distorsions of the knee-joint without a striking radiological finding. This will, however, hardly involve therapeutic consequences, because the carrying capacity of the tibial condyle will not be considerably reduced by such small impressions, and there is no fear of a further impression under load.