Background:

tibial plateau fractures are common traumatic lesions due to vertical compression in varus and valgus. That is why open fractures associated to skin loss are not so frequent, because they are caused by direct mechanisms.

Objetive:

to present the case of a patient with an open fracture of the tibial plateau type VI by Schatzker J.

Case report:

a 61 year old mixed race, woman without health morbid antecedents, who after having a traffic accident was taken to emergency room of Orthopedics and Traumatology complaining of pain, swelling and limitation of movement of the left knee and leg. Simple imaging examination in antero-posterior and lateral views showed a structural break in the continuity of bone at epiphysis and metaphysis in the left proximal tibia. Definite treatment consisted of an osteosynthesis with cannulated screw and fixation by an external device type Hoffmann 1 with two pins in femur and tibia respectively.

Conclusions:

tibial plateau fractures type VI according to Schatzker J classification system are difficult to treat because of associated lesions and complications as open fractures and skin loss. External fixation is a useful and easy method to fix complex fractures as tibial plateau fractures.

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