Arthroscopic treatment of tibial eminence fracture: a systematic review of different fixation methods

Introduction: Arthroscopy procedures are the gold standard for the management of tibial spine avulsion. This review evaluates and compares different arthroscopic treatment options for tibial spine fractures. Source of data: PubMed, Medline, Ovid, Google Scholar and Embase databases were systematically searched with no limit regarding the year of publication. Areas of agreement: An arthroscopic approach compared with arthrotomy reduces complications such as soft-tissue lesions, post-operative pain and length of hospitalization. Areas of controversy: The use of suture techniques, compared to cannulated screw technique, avoids a second surgery for removal of the screws, but requires longer immobilization and partial weight bearing. Growing points: Clinical outcomes and radiographic results do not seem to differ in relation to the chosen method of fixation. Areas timely for developing research: Further studies are needed to produce clear guidelines to define the best choice in terms of clinical outcomes, function and complications.