Year: 2026 | Month: April | Volume: 13 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 10-22
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260402
Tibial Plateau Fractures with Knee Dislocation: A Literature Review
Seva Ajisma1, Cokorda Gde Oka Dharmayuda2
1Resident of Orthoapedic and Traumatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University/Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah General Hospital, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
2Consultant of Orthopaedic and Traumatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University/Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah General Hospital, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
Corresponding Author: Seva Ajisma
ABSTRACT
Tibial plateau fractures and knee dislocations frequently occur concurrently as a result of high energy trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents, falls from height, or sports related injuries, which not only compromise bony structures but also severely damage surrounding soft tissues, major vascular structures, and peripheral nerves. ¹ Tibial plateau fractures account for approximately one percent of all orthopaedic fractures, with an annual incidence of 10.3 per 100,000 individuals. These injuries predominantly affect young adult males following severe trauma, as well as women over 50 years of age after low energy mechanisms.²˒³ Although knee dislocation is relatively uncommon, with an incidence of only 0.02 percent of orthopaedic injuries, it carries a substantial risk of vascular and neurological complications in every case.³ In Indonesia, the high rate of traffic and occupational accidents contributes to the increased occurrence of both injuries. A study from Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta reported that two percent of orthopaedic trauma cases involved tibial plateau fractures, while 0.5 percent involved knee dislocations.⁴ The combination of these two injuries presents unique diagnostic and management challenges and significantly increases the risk of soft tissue necrosis, permanent knee dysfunction, or even amputation if treatment is delayed.⁵ Optimal management requires early stabilization in the emergency department, followed by targeted surgical intervention for reduction and stabilization of both the fracture and dislocation, as well as multidisciplinary rehabilitation. A thorough understanding of the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and appropriate management strategies is therefore crucial to minimize complications and maximize functional recovery of the knee.
Keywords: Tibial plateau fracture, knee dislocation, and trauma
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