Acute simultaneous bilateral avulsion fractures of the tibial tubercles in a 15-year-old male hurler: case report and literature review

Simultaneous Bilateral Avulsion of Tibial Anterior Tubercle in Adolescent: Two Case Reports and Narrative Review of the Literature

Fractures of the anterior tibial tuberosity are uncommon, ranging from 0.4% to 2.7% of all epiphyseal lesions reported. Bilateral sequential fractures are even rarer, with less than twenty-eight cases described to date and, as such, there is very little consensus data on their treatment as a whole. We report the first two documented cases of bilateral tibial tuberosity avulsions of the anterior tubercle in Switzerland, treated by open reduction and internal fixation. Both cases were 14-year-old healthy males with no previous medical history, who both suffered extra-articular fractures after falling from a height. The first case was treated in 2012 with a four-year long clinical follow-up and full recovery. The second, treated in 2019, was clinically followed for one year with a complete recovery and has returned to sporting activity at a pre-injury level. Due to the rarity of the condition, a lack of consensus on the optimal therapy, we believe the documentation of these two cases treated by the same team may be of clinical relevance.

Simultaneous bilateral versus unilateral tibial tubercle fractures

PURPOSE

Tibial tubercle/tuberosity fractures are rare injuries in young patients accounting for less than one percent of physeal fractures. Bilateral simultaneous fractures are even rarer, with only a few case reports in literature. The purpose of our study was to describe the largest case series of bilateral simultaneous tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures and compare it with unilateral fractures. We also wanted to compare our bilateral fractures case series with all the cases reported in the last 65 years.

METHODS

IRB approved retrospective study involving patients under age 18 years with tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures. Bilateral simultaneous fractures were compared to a unilateral group including demographic data, mechanism of injury, clinical exam findings, complication rates, and outcomes including return to function. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney and Fisher Exact tests to compare the different groups.

RESULTS

138 patients (131 males, 7 females) from a tertiary children's hospital between 2012 and 2019 with tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures were included. 11 bilateral simultaneous fractures (BL Group) were identified and compared to age matched cohort from the 127 unilateral fracture patients (UL group). There was no significant difference found in BMI, height, weight, age, sex, mechanism of injury, return to functional range of motion, and return to sports between the groups. 7/11 (63%) of the patients in the BL group who sustained simultaneous fractures had to be home bound and could not attend school for an average of 8.3 weeks. There was a higher rate of complications in the BL group (63.3%) compared to the UL group (21.1%), which was statistically significant. The most common complications in the bilateral group were hardware removal and wound dehiscence.

CONCLUSION

This first case series comparing unilateral versus bilateral simultaneous tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures suggests that the final outcomes of the two groups are similar, however it shows a significantly higher complication rate and hardware removal rate in the BL group. This study is also the first to highlight the significant initial morbidity in the BL fracture group with issues with regards to early mobility and loss of school-days. Keeping in mind the profound initial impact the bilateral injury poses to the patient; surgeons can possibly plan for rigid fixation for early mobilization to better prepare bilateral fracture patients for the early post-operative recovery process.

Bilateral Tibial Tubercle Avulsion Fractures in Children - Clinical Results of a Rare Fracture

BACKGROUND

Tibial tubercle avulsion fractures are rare, they represent less than 1% of all physeal fractures. Compared to monolateral tibial tubercle avulsion fractures, bilateral occurrence is even rarer. The purpose of this study is to report about the so far largest group of bilateral avulsion fractures and to compare them to unilateral fractures as well as to current literature.

METHOD

All patients who suffered from bilateral tibial tubercle fractures between January 2009 and March 2019 were included. All medical records and radiographs were reviewed and a clinical follow-up was performed. The examined criteria were age, gender, mechanism of injury, classification, risk factors, complications, management and outcomes. Clinical outcome was measured using the well established Tegner activity scale and Lysholm-Gillquist score. The same criteria were analyzed in a literature review of bilateral tibial tubercle fractures to compare our results to available literature.

RESULTS

We found four children with bilateral tibial tubercle avulsion fractures. All patients were male with a mean age of 14.5 ± 0.7 years (13 - 15). Mean follow-up examination was 13.6 ± 6.5 months (8 - 29) after surgery. The avulsions occurred during jumping activities in all cases. All children could no longer stand or move because of sudden pain in the knee. We found type IV fractures in three cases, type III fractures in four cases and one type V fracture according to the Ogden classification. All children were treated by open or closed reduction and stabilization with screws or K-wires. Follow-up showed complete fracture healing without complications in all patients. There were no changes in Tegner activity scale and Lysholm-Gillquist Score and knee function comparable to prior to the accident was achieved in all cases.

CONCLUSION

Good clinical results without restrictions regarding function of the knee joint can be achieved by direct operative treatment of bilateral tibial avulsion fractures. A reduction in sporting activity has not to be expected. There were no differences between bilateral or unilateral tibial tubercle avulsion fractures.

Simultaneous bilateral tibial tubercle avulsion fracture in a male teenager: case report and literature review

Tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures are injuries accounting for less than 3% of all epiphyseal and 1% of all physeal injuries in adolescents. Bilateral injuries are very rare, with only 19 cases described in the literature. These types of fractures occur commonly in male teenagers during sport activities and are often associated with other orthopaedic disorders. We report the case of a male teenager with simultaneous bilateral tibial tubercle fractures, describe the evolution and treatment of this injury and review the literature on this subject.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Case report.

Surgical Fixation of Bilateral Simultaneous Avulsion Fractures of the Proximal Tibia in a 12-Year-Old with History of Conservatively Managed Unilateral Tibial Avulsion Fracture

Fractures of the proximal tibial epiphysis are rare, representing less than 3% of all epiphyseal and 1% of all physeal injuries in adolescents. Bilateral injuries are extremely rare. The specific anatomical and histological features of the proximal tibial epiphysis make it vulnerable to a specific fracture pattern that occurs when the tensile force of the quadriceps is greater than the fibrocartilaginous tissue underlying the tibial tuberosity. We report the first case to our knowledge of a 12-year-old boy who sustained simultaneous bilateral tibial avulsion fractures on the background of a previous conservatively managed unilateral tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture. We report this case for its uniqueness and as an educational review of the anatomy, the mechanism of injury, and the development of classifying these fractures and discussion of the stages of the growing physis that determine the treatment approach.

SIMULTANEOUS BILATERAL AVULSION FRACTURE OF THE TIBIAL TUBEROSITY IN A TEENAGER: CASE REPORT AND THERAPY USED

Simultaneous bilateral avulsion fracture of the tibial tuberosity in teenagers is a rare lesion. We describe the first case in the literature, in a teenage girl who sustained a fall while jumping during a volleyball match. No predisposing factors were iden tified. The lesions were treated with open surgical reduction and internal fixation. The aim of the present study was to present a case of simultaneous bilateral avulsion fracture of the tibial tuberosity in a teenage girl and the therapy used.