The tibial plateau is the top of the tibia. It is the bone directly under the cartilage. It is very important because irregularities of this surface can result in early arthritis. Tibial plateau fractures disrupt the cartilage and underlying bone. The resulting irregularities need to be corrected. They typically require plates and screws.
Because of the number of complex knee injuries referred to our practice, we routinely treat tibial plateau fractures. In fact, they are frequently associated with meniscus and ligament injuries. These combined fracture and soft tissue (meniscus, ligament) traumas are complex, and we routinely accept transfers from all over Arizona for these injuries.