Tibial plateau fracture may lead to total knee replacement

January 26, 2010 — admin

What is a tibial plateau fracture and what’s the final outcome with proper treatment?

The tibia is the lower leg bone between the ankle and the knee. The tibial plateau is at the top of the tibia. It’s the surface where the upper leg bone rests on the tibia. In other words, the tibial plateau is the bottom surface of the knee joint.

A fracture in this area can be treated with or without surgery. This depends on how severe it is and whether or not there is another injury with it. A torn ligament or a second fracture may also require surgery.

Over the years, studies have shown that tibial plateau fractures result in arthritis. A total knee replacement (TKR) may be needed. The final outcome isn’t as good for patients receiving a TKR without a previous fracture. The operation can be very complex.

Results are good when the doctor is aware of these problems and plans carefully.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Football injury could result in bruised bone.

September 3, 2009 — admin
One of the ligaments inside my knee was injured in a recent football game. I’m wondering about the knee bones. My biology teacher said ligaments are attached to bones. Do the bones get hurt, too?

 
Good job thinking it through! In fact, bones are often bruised when the ligaments that attach to them get torn. These “bruises” can’t be seen on an X-ray. They can be seen with MRI scans. A bone bruise is like a small fracture of the bone. Most bruises will go away completely. But it’s still unclear what the bone injury will mean in the long term.

Scientists are concerned that the initial bone injury eventually causes the bone to become less resilient–less “bouncy.” With the shock absorbers down, the cartilage that covers the knee joint ends up taking more force. This can take a toll on the joint surfaces, and may lead to arthritic changes in the knee joint.

The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com 

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Medial, lateral, anterior, posterior – Where does your knee really hurt?

August 31, 2009 — admin

This booklet on knee anatomy should help you answer that question.

 The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com

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Does repair of ACL guarantee problem-free future?

July 14, 2009 — admin
I recently had my right ACL repaired. My orthopedist said everything looked great. If my rehab continues to go well, does this mean I won’t have problems in the future?

 
Unfortunately, there is no way to predict the long term outcome for you. Sometimes, people who tear a knee ligament also bruise the knee bone. This damage may or may not go away completely. Even though the ACL may have been repaired successfully, the joint may still become arthritic if the bone damage doesn’t completely resolve. This is because the initial bone bruise can cause the bone underneath the cartilage to harden. The joint loses its ability to absorb shock, so the cartilage takes the brunt of the forces on the joint. Scientists are working to figure out how to predict and prevent these kinds of problems.

The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com

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