Use of ceramics of calcum triphosphate in the repair of tibial plateau fractures: a series of 20 cases

Summary In 20 patients operated for displaced fractures of the tibial plateau, we used pieces of ceramics of tricalcium phosphate to fill the bony defect in the tibial metaphysis. Eighteen were followed up with a mean interval of 35 months (24 to 6o months). The other two patients were lost sight of. There were 11 men and 7 women with a mean age of 55 years (2o to 83 years). In 10 cases the injury was a traffic accident (a pedestrian knocked down by a vehicle) and in 8 cases a fall. Subject to a wider study, the ceramics of tricalcium phosphate, thanks to their remarkable biologic properties, appear to be the bone substitutes of choice in the filling of post-traumatic bony defects. However, there is as yet no absolute proof of their superiority.Paper presented at the 1998 meeting of GECO (Arc 1800. Bourg-Saint-Maurice, France)