Clinical and Functional Outcomes of Suture Versus Headless Screw Fixation for Tibial Eminence Fractures in Children

BACKGROUND: Suture and screw fixations are widely used to treat tibial eminence fractures (TEFs). Although a few biomechanical and clinical studies have compared suture fixation (SF) and screw fixation in the treatment of TEFs in children, no comparative clinical studies are available regarding headless screw fixation (HSF). PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes of children with TEF who underwent SF and HSF. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: The study included 24 patients treated with either SF (11 patients) or HSF (13 patients) within 1 month of TEF (type 2 or 3) without associated ligamentous and bone injury between 2015 and 2020. All patients were evaluated at a minimum 2-year follow-up in terms of Lysholm score, Tegner activity level, International Knee Documentation Committee subjective score, and isometric strength test. Knee stability was compared based on the Lachman test, pivot-shift test, and KT-1000 arthrometer side-to-side difference. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in terms of Lysholm score, Tegner activity level, and International Knee Documentation Committee subjective score at follow-up. All patients were able to resume their daily activities within 6 months after the injury. However, flexion deficits (6°-10°) were found in 2 patients in the SF group and 1 patient in the HSF group, and extension deficits (3°-5°) were found in 3 patients in the SF group and 1 patient in the HSF group, without significant intergroup difference. Stability based on the Lachman test, pivot-shift test, and KT-1000 arthrometer side-to-side difference was also similar between the 2 groups at follow-up. No statistically significant difference was found between the 2 groups in isometric tests performed. CONCLUSION: The present study is the first to compare the clinical and functional results of SF and HSF techniques. The HSF technique demonstrated comparable clinical and functional outcomes, suggesting its potential as an alternative to the SF technique.